US Removes Air Defense Systems From Iraqi Kurdish Capital Despite Kurdish Objections

The United States recently withdrew air defense systems from Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish region in northern Iraq. Erbil had become a frequent target of Iranian attacks and militias during the latest round of conflict. This move is part of the US-Iraq agreement to fully withdraw American forces from Iraq by the end of September 2024. The Kurdish leadership expressed strong dissatisfaction with the decision, having repeatedly requested a delay in the removal due to ongoing Iranian threats. A senior Kurdish official told Kan News that their concerns were ignored despite warnings that the timing was very poor given the regional security situation. The Kurdish position appears to have lost priority for the US, partly due to former President Trump’s disappointment over Kurdish use of US-supplied weapons for internal regional disputes rather than launching offensives against the Iranian regime.