Pentagon to Reduce Iraq Mission, Shift Focus to Syria

The Pentagon has confirmed its intention to reduce its military mission in Iraq, emphasizing that this step will allow official Baghdad to take the lead in the fight against the remnants of the "Islamic State" group on its own territory.

According to an American official, within the framework of this plan, the United States and its coalition allies will focus on the fight against the remnants of ISIS in Syria. For this purpose, most of the personnel will be transferred to Iraqi Kurdistan to carry out new tasks. After the transfer of authority, the total number of American troops in Iraq will be less than 2,000, and most of them will be stationed in Erbil.

As of the beginning of 2025, about 2,500 American military personnel were stationed in Iraq, and more than 900 in neighboring Syria. They are all part of the international coalition created in 2014 to fight ISIS.

In fact, Washington is reviewing its strategy in the region, gradually reducing its direct military involvement in Iraq's internal security issues and at the same time increasing pressure on extremist groups in Syria. This change marks an increase in the role of the Iraqi armed forces in ensuring stability within the country.