U.S. military completes withdrawal of all forces from Iraq
The U.S. military completed its withdrawal of all remaining forces from Erbil Air Base in Iraq's Kurdistan Region on September 30, 2026, ending the 12-year Operation Inherent Resolve anti-ISIS mission. The withdrawal was carried out under a September 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad, with the coalition headquarters relocating to Jordan while counter-ISIS operations continue in Syria. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi declared national 'Sovereignty Days' to mark the occasion, while Kurdish leaders expressed concern about losing U.S. air defense capabilities and Iran-backed militias celebrated the departure.
29
Divergence score
This event sits in the top 24% of divergence this week. 21 outlets covered it, splitting into 21 framing camps across 4 bias groups.
21 camps
4 bias groups
The spectrum · how 21 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
NPR
Al Jazeera
Washington Examiner
Times of Israel
BBC
Washington Times
Globe and Mail
CNN
Jerusalem Post
Fox News
The Guardian
South China Morning Post
Financial Times
The Hill
Reuters
NY Post
Newsmax
Daily Wire
PBS NewsHour
Mother Jones
Breitbart
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
Furthest apart on this story
NPR
U.S. military withdraws from Iraq two decades after invasion
historical arc of invasion to withdrawal · neutral
Washington Examiner
US announces all forces withdrawn from Iraq after 12-year anti-ISIS mission
mission success and militia threat · positive
First to report
- Reutersfirst
- CNN+3.8 h
- NPR+10.4 h
- NY Post+11.3 h
- South China Morning Post+11.5 h
- Fox News+12.0 h
- Newsmax+12.3 h
- Financial Times+13.2 h
- BBC+13.3 h
- Daily Wire+13.3 h
- Washington Times+13.4 h
- Washington Examiner+14.3 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
Headlines that changed · the same article, re-listed with a new headline
Financial Times · 2026-09-30 13:28 UTC
US withdraws remaining troops from Iraq - ft.com
Times of Israel · 2026-09-30 14:43 UTC
Iraqis celebrate US troops withdrawal as government takes charge of security
Financial Times · 2026-09-30 15:23 UTC
US withdraws remaining troops from Iraq - Financial Times
Financial Times · 2026-09-30 16:39 UTC
US withdraws remaining troops from Iraq - ft.com
PBS NewsHour · 2026-09-30 19:27 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - PBS
PBS NewsHour · 2026-09-30 20:05 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - pbs.org
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-01 00:51 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - PBS
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-01 02:11 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - pbs.org
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-01 04:18 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - PBS
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-01 05:00 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - pbs.org
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-01 13:12 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - PBS
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-01 13:59 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - pbs.org
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-02 09:40 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - PBS
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-02 10:16 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - pbs.org
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-02 15:11 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - PBS
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-02 15:51 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - pbs.org
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-02 16:31 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - PBS
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-02 17:10 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - pbs.org
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-02 17:47 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - PBS
PBS NewsHour · 2026-10-02 19:03 UTC
U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - pbs.org
The split, in one line
U.S. outlets split between mission accomplished framing and security vacuum concerns, while regional voices warn of unilateral withdrawal risks; conservative outlets emphasize troop completion alongside progressive critiques of historical costs and failed rationales.
How each outlet covered it
Broad agreement on what happened
Outlets across the spectrum land in roughly the same place: the shared language is highlighted.
THE LEFT
“Pentagon says it has formally completed withdrawal of US troops from Iraq”G The Guardian LEFT
29LOW DIVERGENCE
THE RIGHT
“US military completes withdrawal of troops from Iraq after 12-year mission”FOX Fox News RIGHT
DOWN THE MIDDLE
“US ends troop mission in Iraq, Baghdad to celebrate Sovereignty Day on October 1” · Al Jazeera, Times of Israel, BBC, Globe and Mail, Jerusalem Post, South China Morning Post, The Hill, Reuters, PBS NewsHour
+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 21 outlets put it
LEFT4
NPRNPR U.S. military withdraws from Iraq two decades after invasion 9d ago CNNCNN The US military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq is complete 9d ago GThe Guardian Pentagon says it has formally completed withdrawal of US troops from Iraq 9d ago MJMother Jones The War in Iraq Is Finally Over 8d ago CENTER3
HThe Hill US ends military mission in Iraq 9d ago RReuters How the US controls Iraq's oil revenues 9d ago PBSPBS NewsHour U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq for Islamic State fight is complete - PBS 9d ago RIGHT7
WEWashington Examiner US announces all forces withdrawn from Iraq after 12-year anti-ISIS mission 9d ago WTWashington Times U.S. military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq is complete, ending 12-year mission 9d ago FOXFox News US military completes withdrawal of troops from Iraq after 12-year mission 9d ago NYPNY Post The US military says its withdrawal of troops from Iraq is complete 9d ago NMNewsmax US Military Says Troop Withdrawal From Iraq Is Complete - Newsmax 9d ago DWDaily Wire U.S. Forces Withdraw From Iraq After 23 Years 9d ago BBreitbart U.S. Formally Ends Anti-ISIS Mission in Iraq and Brings Troops Home 8d ago INTERNATIONAL6
AJAl Jazeera How does Iraq's security change after US forces withdraw? 9d ago TOITimes of Israel Iraqis celebrate final US troop withdrawal as government takes charge of security 9d ago BBCBBC Last UK and US troops leave Iraq as anti-Islamic State mission ends 9d ago GMGlobe and Mail Last U.S. troops leave Iraq, ending 12-year mission against Islamic State 9d ago JPJerusalem Post As US ends operations in Iraq, Baghdad celebrates its withdrawal and renewed sovereignty - analysis 9d ago SCSouth China Morning Post US ends troop mission in Iraq, Baghdad to celebrate Sovereignty Day on October 1 9d ago 12 tracked claims across 21 outlets
Fact ledger
All12Claimed2Corroborated10
8/21
Claimed
The U.S. withdrawal was agreed under President Joe Biden and carried out by the Trump administration during the ongoing U.S.-Iran war
Corroborated
Disputed
11 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger