US forces are completing their withdrawal from their last bases in Iraq by 30 September, according to reports, closing a major chapter of the American military presence in the country.

The pullout follows a long-planned transition of the US mission from combat operations to an advisory role, and now to a full exit from the remaining bases around Baghdad. a step both governments described as the natural end of the mission.

Iraqi officials have said their forces are ready to take over security duties. The withdrawal has been discussed between Washington and Baghdad for months.

The move reshapes the security map of the Middle East. Analysts say attention will now turn to how Iraq manages threats from militant groups without a US combat footprint.

The US first sent troops to Iraq in 2003 and returned in 2014 to fight the Islamic State. The mission shrank over the years as Iraqi forces took the lead in operations.