The United States completed the withdrawal of its remaining 2,500 troops from Iraq under a 2024 agreement, ending the US-led Operation Inherent Resolve mission against ISIS after 12 years. Around 100 remaining UK military personnel also left Irbil, coordinated with the US departure, while Iraq's demand for tens of thousands of militants to disarm fell short amid the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran.
Le Monde's headline-and-lead coverage is brief and neutral, simply noting the withdrawal date, the 2024 agreement, and al-Zaidi's declaration of Sovereignty Day, without elaborating on security risks or Iran's role.
Photo: France 24 (English)Center-spectrum coverage (BBC, DW, France 24, Sky, NPR) frames the withdrawal as the end of a 12-year, 20+-year era of US/UK military involvement, emphasizing the security vacuum left behind, Iran-backed militia resistance to disarmament, anxieties among Kurds and minorities, and Iran's celebration of the pullout as a strategic win. Coverage is detailed, citing casualty figures, deadlines, and named officials/experts.
Fox News frames the withdrawal against the backdrop of the 'botched' 2021 Afghanistan withdrawal under Biden, stresses that ISIS threat has 'diminished significantly' per DIA/CENTCOM data, highlights a US service member's death (Sgt. Swinton) during the mission's final months, and frames Iran-backed militias as the persistent danger despite declining ISIS threat -- a framing that underscores both military success against ISIS and unresolved militia risk, with more skepticism toward the Biden-era agreement's rollout.