Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani confirmed today, Tuesday, that “the terrorist organization ISIS today does not represent a threat to Iraq.”
Al-Sudani said, during an interview with “The National” newspaper, that “there is no longer a necessity for the existence of the international coalition that was formed to confront ISIS,” indicating that “the joint committee will meet during this month with the American side, and will emphasize the bilateral relationship with the United States for security cooperation.” We are open in all fields.”
The Prime Minister stated that “the presence of Syria, with its political system and people, is better than an unknown alternative that may plunge the region into a second war with ISIS, and any security confusion in Syria will unleash the monsters of terrorists and threaten security in Iraq and the region.”
Yesterday, Monday, Al-Sudani received the commander of the international coalition forces to combat terrorism in Iraq and Syria, General Joel Fowell, in the presence of the American ambassador to Iraq. During the meeting, security cooperation relations between Iraq and the international coalition were reviewed in the scope of providing advice, arming, exchanging intelligence information, and in the field of training. Iraqi security forces; To develop it and raise its combat capabilities, according to an official statement.
The meeting witnessed, according to the statement, an emphasis on the continuation of the work of the joint committee between Iraq and the international coalition, which was formed following the visit of the security delegation headed by the Minister of Defense to the United States of America last August, which aims to determine the form of the future relationship with the coalition after the victory over ISIS gangs. Terrorism, the growing capabilities of the Iraqi forces, and their ability to carry out their tasks in providing security in all areas and sectors of responsibility.
Al-Sudani recently confirmed that “the form of the relationship with the international coalition will be determined in the coming days.”
Al-Sudani said, in a meeting with a number of media professionals, that “the recent American movements were a process to replace the forces present in Syria, one brigade with another,” adding that “there is no movement of the forces present in Iraq without the knowledge of the Iraqi government.”
He pointed out that “Iraq does not need any combat forces,” noting that the Iraqi-American joint committee will hold its meeting in mid-September to determine the form of the relationship with the international coalition.
US President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi signed an agreement officially ending the combat missions of US forces in Iraq by the end of 2021, more than 18 years after US forces were sent to the country.
Biden stressed that the American role in Iraq will focus on assistance in the field of training, in addition to combating the terrorist organization ISIS, and intelligence support.
There are currently about 2,500 American soldiers in Iraq, whose tasks are focused on confronting the remnants of ISIS, and the American role in Iraq will change completely to be limited to training and providing advice to the Iraqi army.
A US-led coalition invaded Iraq in March 2003, based on accusations that President Saddam Hussein’s government possessed weapons of mass destruction. Saddam was removed from power, but such weapons were never found.
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