Last U.S. and British Troops Leave Iraq as Coalition Mission Ends
publishers 20articles 20first reported 29 Sep, 14:00 UTCdeveloping since 30 Sep · 6 editions
The last U.S. and British troops have left Iraq, ending the international coalition’s military mission against Islamic State after more than a decade, according to the BBC and statements from a U.S. official and the UK Ministry of Defence.
The remaining British contingent of about 100 personnel departed Irbil in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region in coordination with U.S. forces, which left on Wednesday. The withdrawal followed an agreement reached by Washington and Baghdad two years ago to remove foreign troops by the end of October.
Coalition forces had operated in Iraq since 2014 under Operation Inherent Resolve, helping Iraqi security forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga fight Islamic State. Iraq declared the group militarily defeated in 2017, although foreign troops remained to train local forces and help prevent a resurgence.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said the mission’s conclusion marked Iraq’s assumption of full responsibility for its security and stability. Iraq plans to observe four “Sovereignty Days” as a national holiday.
President Donald Trump called the withdrawal a victory for both countries and over Islamic State. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said responsibility for remaining threats, including Islamic State remnants and Iran-aligned militias, now rests with Iraq’s government.
A recent U.N. assessment said sustained Iraqi counterterrorism operations had reduced Islamic State to several hundred fighters capable only of unsophisticated attacks. Al-Zaidi has also pledged to disarm Iranian-backed militias and place all weapons under state control, though powerful factions have resisted.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Reconstructed on 2 October 2026. The machine was off on this day, so no feed was read and no run took place. This edition was rebuilt afterwards from sources that keep history (Google News's dated search, GDELT, Reddit) and from articles the next runs still found, ranked as of the day's end: one edition, not the day's four runs.
Written from 6 articles, headlines and summaries only; 6 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; the editor revised it.
- Publishers
- 20
- Source articles
- 20
- Given to the writer
- 6, headlines and summaries only
- Independent newsrooms
- 6
- Second model (editor)
- revised
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and changed it before publication. Struck words were in the draft; underlined words are its corrections.
WHAT IT FLAGGED editor revise: The story should correct the attribution to match the source’s U.S. official and UK Ministry of Defence statements. - "statements from U.S. and British officials": The sources include statements from a U.S. official and the UK Ministry of Defence, not specifically British officials. - "Al-Zaidi has also pledged to disarm Iranian-backed militias and place all weapons under state control, though powerful factions have resisted.": The source says Zaidi vowed to disarm militias, but the story attributes the pledge to Al-Zaidi; the source uses Zaidi after identifying the Iraqi prime minister as Ali al-Zaidi, so this is not material. However, the clause 'though powerful factions have resisted' is supported. No issue.
THE DRAFT AND THE CHANGES
Last U.S. and British Troops Leave Iraq as Coalition Mission Ends
The last U.S. and British troops have left Iraq, ending the international coalition’s military mission against Islamic State after more than a decade, according to the BBC and statements from a U.S. official and Britishthe officials.UK Ministry of Defence.
The remaining British contingent of about 100 personnel departed Irbil in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region in coordination with U.S. forces, which left on Wednesday. The withdrawal followed an agreement reached by Washington and Baghdad two years ago to remove foreign troops by the end of October.
Coalition forces had operated in Iraq since 2014 under Operation Inherent Resolve, helping Iraqi security forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga fight Islamic State. Iraq declared the group militarily defeated in 2017, although foreign troops remained to train local forces and help prevent a resurgence.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said the mission’s conclusion marked Iraq’s assumption of full responsibility for its security and stability. Iraq plans to observe four “Sovereignty Days” as a national holiday.
President Donald Trump called the withdrawal a victory for both countries and over Islamic State. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said responsibility for remaining threats, including Islamic State remnants and Iran-aligned militias, now rests with Iraq’s government.
A recent U.N. assessment said sustained Iraqi counterterrorism operations had reduced Islamic State to several hundred fighters capable only of unsophisticated attacks. Al-Zaidi has also pledged to disarm Iranian-backed militias and place all weapons under state control, though powerful factions have resisted.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →