United States forces are set to leave their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, ending more than two decades of military presence in the country, according to reports citing officials.

The withdrawal follows an agreement reached under the Biden administration in 2024, which was carried out by the Trump administration. It brings to a close a chapter that began with the 2003 invasion.

Around 4,500 American service members died in Iraq over the years, along with hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in the war and its aftermath.

Iran and Iran-backed militias celebrated the withdrawal, with several Iraqi politicians hailing what they called a step towards full sovereignty.

But American experts and some Iraqi officials have warned that the departure could create an opening for Iran to expand its influence and for the Islamic State group to stage a comeback. A small advisory presence may remain in some form, but the era of large American combat bases in Iraq is now effectively over.