The Pentagon announced that it is scaling back its military mission in Iraq, with the Iraqi government set to assume full control of counter terrorism operations against the remaining Daesh (ISIS) elements within its territory.

A US defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that under the transition plan US and coalition forces will shift their focus to combating Daesh remnants in neighboring Syria.

Most US personnel will be relocated to Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region that mission.

As early of 2025, the US maintained around 2,500 troops in Iraq and more than 900 in Syria as part of the international coalition formed in 2014 to combat the rise of Daesh. Once the drawdown is completed, fewer than 2,000 US troops will remain in Iraq, with the majority stationed in Erbil. A final troop figure has not yet been determined and no specific timeline was disclosed.

Troops remaining in Baghdad will no longer take part in counter-ISIS operations but will instead engage in standard bilateral security cooperation.

“ISIS no longer poses a sustained threat to Iraqi government or to the US homeland from Iraqi territory. This marks a significant achievement and allows Iraq to lead its own security efforts”, said a senior defense official.

The shift comes a strategic victory for the Iraqi government, which has expressed concern that the presence of US forces attracts attacks from Iran-aligned militias and contributes to internal stability.

As part of the transition, the US had previously agreed to hand over the Ain al-Asad airbase in Western Anbar province to Iraqi control. The process remains ongoing, according to the defense official, who declined to provide further details.

Meanwhile, in Syria the US military footprint remains unchanged despite previous drawdown plans announced during the Trump administration. The situation there remains condition-based, the official noted adding that the US continues to monitor the threat posed by Daesh fighters still active in the region.

Thousands of Daesh detainees remain in custody across Syria and there is growing concern among Western and regional leaders that the group could exploit the country’s political instability to regroup and re-emerge.

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime last year, now replaced by rebel forces led by former al-Qaeda figure Ahmed al-Sharaa, the region remains volatile.

President Donald Trump met with al-Sharaa in Riyadh in May, underscoring the high-level engagement around Syria’s future.

Officials warn that as Syria navigates a complex post-conflict landscape, the threat of a Daesh resurgence remains a pressing concern for the region and its allies.