UPDATE - UK defense official in Baghdad to meet Iraqi officials

UPDATES WITH MILITARY AGREEMENT

By Muayed Tarafi

BAGHDAD (AA) - Iraq and the U.K. on Thursday penned an agreement to enhance military relations, according to Iraq’s Defense Ministry.

British Secretary of State for Defense Gavin Williamson arrived in Baghdad earlier Thursday to discuss bilateral security cooperation with Iraqi officials.

The military cooperation deal was concluded during a meeting between Williamson and his Iraqi counterpart, Irfan al-Hayali.

“A lengthy meeting was held during which the two sides agreed to expand and develop military relations between Iraq and the U.K.,” read a Defense Ministry statement.

“The two sides discussed means of training and arming Iraq’s military and enhancing mechanisms for security and intelligence sharing,” it added.

It was Williamson’s first visit to Iraq since his appointment last November.

Last October, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May visited Baghdad for talks with Iraqi counterpart Haider al-Abadi.

Britain is a leading member of an international military coalition cobbled together in 2014 to fight the Daesh terrorist group in Iraq and Syria.

In recent months, Daesh has suffered a string of major defeats in both Iraq and Syria after overrunning vast swathes of territory in both countries in mid-2014.