US Forces Begin Gradual Withdrawal From Iraqi Kurdistan

US forces have begun withdrawing a portion of their troops from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, as part of a redeployment aimed at gradually ending their military presence. Reports indicated military convoys moving from Erbil towards neighboring countries in recent days. Washington initiated the withdrawal of its remaining forces before the September 30 deadline, a move that included the removal of Patriot air defense systems from Erbil. This withdrawal is in line with a previous agreement between Baghdad and Washington to terminate the International Coalition's mission and transition to bilateral security and military cooperation. US support for Iraq will continue in areas of training, intelligence sharing, and combating ISIS.