What Happened
Withdrawal Marks Shift To Bilateral Defense Relationship
The US and its coalition partners have officially concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, completing the final withdrawal of coalition forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base. The withdrawal marks a transition to a US-Iraq bilateral defense relationship, with the Combined Joint Task Force remaining operational in Jordan to continue the counter-ISIS mission in Syria. The 12-year campaign resulted in the defeat of ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq, with American and allied airstrikes killing tens of thousands of Islamic State fighters. This milestone was reported by Unknown Source.