Al-Zaydi: End of coalition mission and government's commitment to disarm non‑Iraqi armed groups

Prime Minister Ali Al‑Zaydi said today, Thursday, that the mission of the International Coalition in Iraq has ended and that its forces have withdrawn completely and definitively by land, air and sea, noting the achievement of full and comprehensive national sovereignty.

Al‑Zaydi described the first of October of this month as "a serious beginning to address the issue of weapons outside the control of the state," and renewed his government's commitment to tackling the file of weapons outside the framework of the state.

He stressed "the commitment to constitutional entitlements, according to a clear roadmap and agreed timetables not exceeding 30‑June‑2027, and in accordance with the constitutional principle that leaves the decision of war and peace to the constitutional authorities, and the prevention of any military action to the contrary."

He added that the federal government "will, in accordance with the constitution, work to disarm all non‑Iraqi armed groups present on Iraqi territory completely, in a way that preserves the country's security and stability and secures its borders."

Al‑Zaydi noted that "the Iraqi government affirms its constitutional commitment to prevent the use of Iraqi territory and airspace as a launch point or transit for any action that threatens the security of neighboring states, and likewise rejects the use of any state's territory or airspace to attack Iraq, based on the principles of mutual sovereignty, good neighborliness and non‑interference in internal affairs."

He added that the government "will begin supporting security institutions by purchasing a complete air defense system to strengthen the state's full air sovereignty, and will legislate the Popular Mobilization Forces law and consolidate its position within the security apparatus as an integral part of it under the command of the Commander‑in‑Chief of the Armed Forces."

Al‑Zaydi's statement coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump announcing yesterday, Wednesday, the departure of the last U.S. forces from Iraq, saying it was time for Americans to return home, and noting that he praised Prime Minister Ali Al‑Zaydi, calling him "wonderful" and a person he had supported from the beginning.

The Commander‑in‑Chief of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Ali Falih Al‑Zaydi, yesterday announced the official end of the International Coalition's mission in the country, expressing his thanks to the coalition countries for supporting the security forces during the fight against terrorism.

The U.S. Department of Defense (the Pentagon) announced that the United States and its partners in the International Coalition have formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, and the international anti‑ISIS coalition in Iraq said there is no justification for armed groups to remain in the country following its withdrawal.

The Al‑Zaydi government has placed the file of concentrating arms on a timeline separate from the coalition's withdrawal. On 21 September, Al‑Zaydi announced a plan beginning with a 90‑day calm during which factions would refrain from launching attacks, in exchange for guarantees they would not be targeted by U.S. strikes, after which the process of handing over weapons would begin and be completed by 30 June 2027.

Concurrently, political forces are negotiating with the factions on implementation mechanisms. On 23 September, the head of the State of Law coalition, Nouri al‑Maliki, announced that a program and timetable for concentrating weapons would be announced on 30 September, stressing that the file will be addressed through dialogue and within constitutional and legal frameworks.