Iraq to close US-led coalition headquarters on Sept 30

BAGHDAD

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Iraq has announced that the headquarters of the United States-led international coalition in the country will be closed on Sept. 30.

Abdulamir al-Shammari, director of the office of the commander of Iraq’s armed forces, said in a statement that the country’s security situation was stable and that Iraqi forces had established control across the entire country.

“There are no concerns regarding the country’s security,” al-Shammari said, adding that the international coalition’s headquarters in Iraq would be closed as of Sept. 30. He also stressed that there would be no foreign military bases on Iraqi territory.

The Iraqi government is preparing to mark Oct. 1 as “Sovereignty Day.”

The announcement comes as part of a broader process to end the international coalition’s mission and foreign military presence in Iraq.

As part of the transition, the U.S. diplomatic support site at Baghdad International Airport was handed over to Iraq on Sept. 24.

Analyst Majid Hasnawi, meanwhile, warned that Iraq could face both political and economic uncertainty following the end of the coalition’s mission. He said a failure to bring weapons under state control could lead to further pressure on the Iraqi economy.

Signs of economic uncertainty have already emerged in currency markets. Ali Naji, head of the Eco Iraq Observatory, said the U.S. dollar had recorded an “unprecedented rise” against the Iraqi dinar on the parallel market.