Khaberni - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani confirmed on Monday that the mission of the international coalition against the Islamic State organization will conclude on its scheduled date in September next year.
The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, which interviewed Al-Sudani, reported on its website that the Iraqi Prime Minister had said the deadline for the coalition's mission was "brought forward," before the newspaper updated the interview text a few hours later.
Earlier today, an Al Jazeera correspondent reported from a source in the Joint Operations Room that advisors of the international coalition had withdrawn from the operations command and the support camp towards Jordan.
Al-Sudani told the Italian newspaper, "We have decided with our allies to confirm the end of the international coalition's mission in September 2026," adding, "Once there are no foreign military units on Iraqi soil, it will be easier to dismantle the armed factions."
The Iraqi factions have long demanded the withdrawal of foreign forces, especially the American forces deployed within the coalition since 2014, and as the government seeks to monopolize weaponry, the leading factions refuse to discuss their arsenals before the foreign troops leave.
Mutual Attacks
Al-Sudani's confirmation comes as American airstrikes continue to target headquarters of Iraqi militias loyal to Tehran, as part of the American-Israeli war on Iran, while Tehran and some factions retaliate by targeting American interests in Iraq.
Armed factions announce almost daily the execution of attacks with drones and missiles against American bases, including the airport base in Erbil, and American targets inside and outside Iraq, turning the Iraqi arena into a hot spot.
Yesterday, the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced the extension of closing the Iraqi airspace to all flights for an additional 72 hours amid rapid security developments in the capital Baghdad and its surroundings.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) announced last Friday the evacuation of all its mission staff in Iraq to Europe, alongside announcements by Germany and Poland of the evacuation of their forces from the country, due to deteriorating security conditions in the Middle East.
Earlier, Iraq had announced in mid-January the completion of the withdrawal process of the international coalition from its territory, except for the Kurdistan region, in accordance with an agreement between Baghdad and Washington that stipulates the complete withdrawal of coalition advisors from the northern region by September 2026, transitioning the relationship of Iraq with the coalition countries to security partnerships.
