China’s state news agency Xinhua reported on 18 January 2026 that United States forces have completed a withdrawal from al‑Asad airbase in western Iraq, and Iraqi security forces have assumed full control of the facility. The handover marks a visible moment in the gradual retrenchment of U.S. posture in Iraq and a symbolic step for Baghdad’s effort to reassert sovereignty over major military sites.
Al‑Asad, located in Anbar province, has been one of the largest and most strategically significant airfields used by international forces since the fight against the Islamic State. The base served as a logistics hub, a launch point for air operations and a center for training and advising Iraqi units. Its transfer therefore has operational as well as political implications for counter‑terrorism capacity and the presence of external powers in Iraq.
The withdrawal is the latest in a pattern of reduced U.S. footprints across Iraq after years of on‑and‑off deployments tied to the anti‑ISIS campaign, bilateral negotiations with Baghdad and domestic political currents in both countries. For Baghdad, taking control of al‑Asad allows the government to demonstrate authority and respond to public demands for greater national control of military infrastructure while managing a delicate balance between ties to Washington and pressure from Iran‑aligned militia groups.
Operationally, Iraqi forces now bear primary responsibility for security at the base, creating an immediate test of their logistics, force protection and air‑field management capabilities. The change also raises questions about how the multinational counter‑ISIS mission and U.S. forces will sustain intelligence, surveillance and strike capabilities in the region—options include remote basing, over‑the‑horizon operations and continued training partnerships without a large permanent presence at the facility.
Regionally, the handover will be watched by Tehran, Ankara and other capitals as a barometer of Baghdad’s alignment and of broader shifts in Gulf and Levant security dynamics. If Baghdad can secure and operate al‑Asad effectively, it strengthens the case for greater Iraqi independence in security affairs; if not, gaps could be exploited by non‑state armed groups or invite renewed external involvement.