U.S. Leaves Iraq as Baghdad Pushes Militia Deadline to 2027

American troops have left Iraq, but the armed factions whose demobilization was supposed to accompany that departure have more time. Baghdad has moved its deadline for bringing their weapons under state control to June 30, 2027, according to OilPrice (direct). The gap leaves Iraq facing a security transition while war with Iran and attacks on regional energy infrastructure complicate the outlook.

The withdrawal agreement dates to 2024. Then-President Joe Biden concluded that Iraqi forces could manage the remaining threat from ISIS and that training, intelligence sharing and military assistance could replace the coalition mission. President Donald Trump inherited that agreement and carried it out under different conditions: the United States is now at war with Iran, while Iran-aligned militias continue to operate across Iraq, OilPrice reported.

A departure without disarmament

Baghdad originally linked the September 30 American withdrawal to a deadline for placing armed factions’ weapons under government control. U.S. forces departed on schedule; the disarmament timetable did not hold. Some factions are seeking still more time beyond the new deadline. Negotiators are also considering putting militia members into state security institutions, leaving unresolved whether those armed networks would actually be dismantled or simply gain a place within official structures.

The change also removes capabilities that Iraqi and Kurdish forces have relied on. American personnel supplied intelligence on militant movements and conducted surveillance and reconnaissance from the air. Kurdish commanders say U.S. logistical support and drones are being lost as well. American air defenses protecting Erbil are also being withdrawn, leaving the Kurdish region more exposed after months of Iranian missile and drone attacks, according to the report.

Kurdish commanders say they are losing U.S. logistical support and drones, according to OilPrice.

Washington will continue training, intelligence cooperation and other assistance outside the coalition framework. That offers continued support, but not the same military presence inside Iraq. The distinction matters for Baghdad: it must negotiate control over armed factions while the American capabilities previously available on the ground are being reduced.

Energy infrastructure under pressure

Elsewhere in the region, energy facilities remain caught in the conflict. Saudi Arabia says a drone hit the Taibah electricity distribution station on September 29, disabling one transformer without shutting down the wider grid. The station supplies the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina. Riyadh attributed the strike to the Houthis after examining wreckage; the group denies responsibility. Saudi forces also reported intercepting two ballistic missiles and four drones over the south on Thursday, following September attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and the East West pipeline.

Syria faces a separate supply setback. An explosion on the pipeline between Al-Shoula and Deir ez-Zor stopped gas deliveries from the Al-Jabsah processing plant to power stations on Monday night. Authorities blamed sabotage, although a local oil official told The National that attempted gas theft may have caused the explosion. Energy Minister Mohammad al-Bashir puts domestic gas output at 8.5 million cubic meters a day, against demand of 22 million to 25 million. The disruption adds another obstacle to rebuilding the country’s energy system.

For Iraq, the next test is whether the extended deadline produces meaningful state control over weapons. Talks over integrating militia members into security institutions will be central to that question. The issue to watch is not just whether fighters enter official bodies, but whether Baghdad dismantles the armed networks behind them before June 30, 2027.