German soldiers take part in a ceremony in Erbil on August 26, 2026, to mark their end of their deployment in Iraq as part of the US-led coalition to fight ISIS. Photo: Ministry of PeshmergaShow caption: German soldiers take part in a ceremony in Erbil on August 2…German forces pull out of Kurdistan region ahead of September 30 deadline for drawdown of US-led anti-ISIS coalition
The withdrawal of foreign coalition troops from Iraq is accelerating ahead of the September 30 deadline, with high-level coordination between coalition forces and Iraqi leadership.
Germany ended its military advisory mission in Iraq's Kurdistan region, with the last troops departing Erbil on Wednesday after contributing to training, armament and aerial reconnaissance operations.
September 30 also marks the deadline for non-state Iraqi armed groups to surrender their weapons, signalling a broader push to consolidate Iraqi sovereignty.
The US military presence in Iraq dates to 2003, peaking at over 170,000 troops in 2007, before the anti-ISIS coalition returned in 2014 following the group's territorial seizures.
