On 27 September, Al-Ahad TV (AAH — official) carried Iraqi Center for Media Development head Adnan al-Sarraj crediting popular and resistance pressure for the departure of U.S. forces. International-relations researcher and writer Fadhel al-Yunis instead attributed withdrawal to an Iraqi government request and a shared Iraqi-American preference, and said Iraqi forces’ ability to manage security would determine whether it counted as victory. Political researcher and writer Issam Hussein described Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s remarks as a call for Americans to remain in Kurdistan; al-Sarraj called Barzani’s fears of an ISIS return unfounded.
- Al-Ahad TVAAH — official27 Sept, 21:52
“The U.S. withdrawal came at the Iraqi government’s request … it came by Iraqi-American desire … victory depends on Iraqi forces’ ability to manage security.”
الانسحاب الأمريكي جاء بطلب من الحكومة العراقية ... الانسحاب جاء برغبة عراقية أمريكية ... الانتصار يتحقق بقدرة القوات العراقية على مسك الملف الأمني
- Al-Ahad TVAAH — official27 Sept, 21:53
“Removing the Americans in this way is a major victory … popular and resistance pressure was behind the removal of U.S. forces.”
اخراج الأمريكان بهذه الطريقة نصر كبير ... ضغوطات شعبية ومن المقاومة وراء إخراج القوات الأمريكية
- Al-Ahad TVAAH — official27 Sept, 21:53
“Masrour Barzani’s remarks include a call for Americans to remain in Kurdistan … the Americans are looking for a pretext to remain in Iraq.”
تصريحات مسرور البارزاني فيها دعوة لبقاء الأمريكان في كردستان ... الامريكان يبحثون عن حجة للبقاء في العراق
- Al-Ahad TVAAH — official28 Sept, 00:05
“Issam Hussein: Masrour Barzani’s remarks are a call for Americans to remain in Kurdistan.”
عصام حسين: تصريحات مسرور البارزاني دعوة لبقاء الأمريكان في كردستان
- Al-Ahad TVAAH — official28 Sept, 00:13
“Adnan al-Sarraj: Masrour Barzani’s fears of ISIS returning are unfounded.”
عدنان السراج: مخاوف مسرور البارزاني من عودة دااعش غير صحيحة
The guests offered different tests of what withdrawal means—an achieved victory for al-Sarraj and a result conditional on Iraqi security capacity for al-Yunis—while Hussein and al-Sarraj disputed Barzani’s security framing.