BAGHDAD (AP) — U.S. forces have fully withdrawn from an air base in western Iraq in implementation of an agreement with the Iraqi government, Iraqi officials said Saturday.
Washington and Baghdad agreed in 2024 to wind down a U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq by September 2025, with U.S. forces departing bases where they had been stationed.
However, a small unit of U.S. military advisers and support personnel remained. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in October told journalists that the agreement originally stipulated a full pullout of U.S. forces from the Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq by September. But “developments in Syria” since then required maintaining a “small unit” of between 250 and 350 advisers and security personnel at the base.
Now all U.S. personnel have departed.
Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah oversaw the assignment of tasks and duties to various military units at the base on Saturday following the withdrawal of U.S. forces and the Iraqi Army’s full assumption of control over the base, the military said in a statement.
The statement added that Yarallah “instructed relevant authorities to intensify efforts, enhance joint work, and coordinate between all units stationed at the base, while making full use of its capabilities and strategic location.”
A Ministry of Defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly confirmed that all U.S. forces had departed the base and had also removed all American equipment from it.
There was no statement from the U.S. military on the withdrawal.
U.S. forces have retained a presence in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq and in neighboring Syria.
The departure of U.S. forces may strengthen the hand of the government in discussions around disarmament of non-state armed groups in the country, some of which have used the presence of U.S. troops as justification for keeping their own weapons.
Al-Sudani said in a July interview with The Associated Press that once the coalition withdrawal is complete, “there will be no need or no justification for any group to carry weapons outside the scope of the state.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, attends the Army Day celebrations in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Donovan Mitchell had 25 points and six rebounds, Max Strus' 3-pointer with 54 seconds left helped seal it as he scored 24, and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors 118-111 on Thursday night.
James Harden contributed 19 points and five assists as the Cavs won for the seventh time in nine games during a stretch playing five times in eight nights.
Gui Santos and Brandin Podziemski scored 25 points apiece for the Warriors, who were missing Stephen Curry for the 27th straight game but his return could come as soon as Sunday. He scrimmaged 5-on-5 for the third time in as many days to test his injured right knee that has sidelined him since Jan. 30.
Coach Steve Kerr said Curry and Vice President of Player Health and Performance Rick Celebrini might decide as soon as Friday based on how Curry feels a day later whether he can return to face the Rockets.
With 9:28 left, Cleveland's Dennis Schroder made a hard foul from behind on a driving LJ Cryer and it was reviewed and ruled a Flagrant 1 for his leap and kick into the Warriors guard. Draymond Green was called for a technical on the play after he shoved Schroder while helping Cryer up from the floor.
Schroder was whistled for a technical seven seconds later then Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson — a former Warriors top assistant — received a technical.
Kristaps Porzingis had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors after sitting out a 127-113 loss to San Antonio on Wednesday in the front end of a back-to-back, while Gary Payton II also rested his right knee for the first game before playing Thursday and matching his career high with 12 rebounds.
Golden State also got some other reinforcements back with the returns of Santos after he was hit in the pelvic bone and De'Anthony Melton from a sprained left thumb.
Green passed Larry Smith (6,440) for third on the Warriors' career rebounding list.
Cavaliers: Host Indiana on Sunday.
Warriors: Host Houston on Sunday night.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Injured Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, watches from the bench with assistant coaches Kris Weems, middle, and Jerry Stackhouse during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in San Francisco, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, middle, reaches for the ball against Golden State Warriors guard Pat Spencer, right, and guard De'Anthony Melton, bottom, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski, left, shoots against Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) gestures toward an official during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in San Francisco, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) looks to pass the ball while being defended by Golden State Warriors guard Will Richard during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
