Coalition forces begin Iraq withdrawal as regional disarmament talks proceed

The US-led anti-jihadist coalition has begun withdrawing its forces from the Kurdistan region of Iraq. This move follows a 2024 agreement between Baghdad and Washington to conclude the mission against Daesh. According to Kurdistan’s interior minister, Rebar Ahmed, forces are transferring daily to locations outside Iraq, with a scheduled completion deadline of September 30.

Simultaneously, officials from Turkey, Iraq, and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) are meeting in Erbil to coordinate a plan for approximately 4,200 members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to lay down their arms. The plan involves vacating 18 specific sites, including camps and settlements in northern Iraq, such as Amedi, Zakho, and Mount Korek.

A joint mechanism involving Turkish, Iraqi, and Kurdish security services has been established to monitor the vacated positions. While the first stage of the disarmament is expected to take one month, the handover of weapons remains a point of discussion regarding whether the Iraqi central government or regional authorities will receive the arms.