The Pentagon said Wednesday that it had finished pulling all U.S. forces out of Iraq. The final troops departed from an air base in northern Iraq under an agreement between the Iraqi and U.S. governments. U.S. forces first invaded Iraq in 2003 to overthrow Saddam Hussein and left in 2011, before returning in 2014 at Iraq’s invitation to fight the Islamic State group, which had seized much of the country. The withdrawal comes amid the ongoing U.S. and Israeli war on Iran, which has spilled into Iraq through clashes between U.S. forces and Iran-backed militias. Some Baghdad residents welcomed the withdrawal of U.S.-led coalition forces from Iraq. This is a local resident.

Ahmed Saleh: “Our feeling? It fills our heart with joy, and I feel on the day of the U.S. forces’ withdrawal is like I am born again, and I am 70 years old. The withdrawal of American forces is the withdrawal of the occupier. We should invest, invest to let militias, as well, surrender their weapons to the government. There’s nothing left. Surrender your weapons to the government, and let the government be the one responsible to protect me and you on the ground, sky and water.”