ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Residents of Mosul - Iraq’s second-largest city and the former de-factor capital of the Islamic State - expressed positive sentiments over the planned withdrawal of US-led coalition forces from Iraq set to conclude tomorrow, September 30, with most welcoming the end of foreign involvement amid mounting uncertainties surrounding Iraq’s security future. “Let them withdraw to hell — pardon the expression,” Mohammed Hussam, a worker in Mosul, told Rudaw's Mustafa Goran on Monday. “What use are they to us anyway? What benefit do they bring?” Abdulrahman al-Jibouri, a retiree, described the withdrawal as the “departure of the infidels,” while another fellow retiree by the name of Mohammad Hammo expressed that Iraq simply has no need for US forces. Younis al-Lhaibi, a bus driver also welcomed the departure, maintained that Iraq has “plenty of security forces that can be relied upon” and is not in need of foreign troops. But not everyone in Mosul shared that confidence. Hayyan Jassim, a shopkeeper, said the withdrawal could affect the sense of security and order that residents have become accustomed to. Didn't we get used to a bit of order and discipline?” he asked, “If a withdrawal happens, it's like we'll completely lose control.” The differing views reflect a broader question facing Iraq as the US-led coalition prepares to end its military mission – whether or not Iraqi forces can independently maintain the security gains made since the coalition intervened against Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014 and if Iraqi institutions will prove capable of meeting security challenges ahead. Salman Mustafa, another worker in Mosul, said Iraqi authorities are equipped to manage the situation, pointing to both the central and local governments. “If American forces withdraw, we have a local government and a central government that can control the situation,” he said. “The security situation is very good — more than good.” The US-led coalition intervened in Iraq under Operation Inherent Resolve in 2014 after ISIS seized large areas of the country, supporting Iraqi and Kurdish forces in operations against the group. Its military mission is now set to end under an agreed withdrawal timeline, with the departure scheduled to conclude on September 30, marking the transition from a military partnership between Baghdad and Washington to a broader security and economic bilateral framework.
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