Iraq has set September 30 as the definitive deadline for ending the US-led coalition's military mission in the country, with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi declaring that October 1 will mark a new era free of foreign military presence.
Al-Zaidi confirmed the agreement during a meeting in Baghdad with US Central Command chief Brad Cooper, finalising terms that had been discussed during the prime minister's visit to Washington in mid-July. The withdrawal will conclude more than two decades of US military deployment in Iraq dating to the 2003 invasion, ending the mission against the Islamic State group. The Iraqi government also tied the September 30 date to its own deadline for disarming armed factions operating outside state authority.
Meanwhile, Iranian Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani made a surprise visit to Baghdad this week to discuss plans for disarming those militias.