Erbil:The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced the completion of the withdrawal of US forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base, concluding the Operation Inherent Resolve mission in Iraq.

According to Qatar News Agency, this withdrawal marks a shift towards a bilateral defense relationship between the United States and Iraq. Despite the departure, US forces will continue their counter-ISIS mission in Syria alongside Coalition partners and the Syrian government.

CENTCOM highlighted that the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve has been advising and assisting partner forces in Iraq and Syria since its establishment in 2014. The task force has played a significant role in countering ISIS threats in the region.

Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, stated that ISIS no longer poses a systemic threat to Iraq's national security. He emphasized that Iraqi security forces now have the capability and independence to manage threats on their own. Nevertheless, US and Coalition forces remain positioned in the region to respond to any emerging ISIS threats.

The transition began with the departure of American and Coalition forces from federal Iraq last October, culminating in the recent withdrawal from Erbil Air Base. This base, located in northern Iraq, served as the main operational hub for the task force and housed most of the 1,500 American and Coalition personnel involved in counter-ISIS operations.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al Zaidi has confirmed the official end of the international Coalition's mission in Iraq. He announced that Iraqi forces and institutions will now fully assume responsibility for the country's security and stability, transitioning to bilateral cooperation with Coalition countries in security, military, and training sectors.