US says international coalition mission in Iraq to end in late September

WASHINGTON, United States — WASHINGTON — The U.S. Defense Department said the international coalition's mission in Iraq will conclude at the end of next September, with the transition discussed during a meeting between Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zidani at the Pentagon. According to a written statement from the department, the talks followed meetings at the White House and covered the end of "Operation Inherent Resolve," the U.S.-led military campaign against ISIS in Iraq, as well as the future of U.S.-Iraq relations. Hegseth reaffirmed that the timeline set out in a joint communique issued in September 2024 will be fully implemented. The communique envisioned the coalition's military mission in Iraq ending on September 30. The statement added that Hegseth welcomed Iraqi government efforts to bring weapons under state control, saying the move would reinforce Iraq's sovereignty and democratic chain of command over all armed groups in the country.