U.S. military completes troop withdrawal from Iraq, ending 12-year mission to fight Islamic State

The U.S. military says it has completed the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, ending a 12-year mission to fight the Islamic State group. A Pentagon spokesman says U.S. troops and equipment had completed an “orderly departure” from an air base in northern Iraq. The move was touted by Baghdad as a sign of the country’s increasing strength and sovereignty. But some officials in Northern Iraq raised concerns that the U.S. has left them defenseless. They say they have faced more than 1,000 drone and missile attacks during the U.S.-Iran war. (Photo: Spencer Platt / Getty Images)