Iraq Celebrates Independence as US-Led Forces Withdraw After 12-Year ISIS Campaign

The date of 30 September 2026 marked a turning point in Iraq's history. Almost 12 years ago, in 2014, when the terrorist organization ISIS took control of large parts of Iraq and Syria, the US-led'Operation Inherent Resolve'began to fight them. With the withdrawal of the last 2,500 troops under the 2024 agreement, it is now over. On this success, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has declared 1 October as a 4-day official holiday, celebrating the'new era'of Iraq free of foreign troops and'Independence Day '. While the commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) says that thanks to the bravery of the soldiers, ISIS is no longer a major threat to Iraq's security. If you look at the figures of this entire military campaign, which lasted 12 years, this war proved to be very expensive. According to the report of the Lead Inspector General, this entire mission cost US taxpayers'dollars, in the 2024 fiscal year, and the Pentagon alone spent about 11.5 billion during this mission.