Egypt FM arrives in Iraq for counter-terrorism talks

By Ali Jawad

BAGHDAD (AA) – Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry arrived Saturday in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi officials on fighting terrorism.

In a brief statement, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said that Shoukry had arrived in Baghdad on an official visit, giving no further details.

Iraqi lawmaker Mithal al-Alusi, for his part, said the top Egyptian diplomat will hold talks on a host of issues, including bilateral relations and counter-terrorism.

“Iraq and Egypt are fighting Daesh, al-Qaeda and other extremist groups and there must be coordination between the two countries for fighting terrorism,” al-Alusi told Anadolu Agency.

In a statement, Egypt’s foreign ministry, said Shoukry’s visit aims to lend support to Iraq in its fight against terrorism and to bolster bilateral ties between the two countries.

Last month, Iraqi foreign minister al-Jaafari visited Egypt for talks aimed to boosting anti-terror coordination.

Iraq is fighting the Daesh terrorist group, which overran vast swathes of territories in northern and western Iraq in 2014. Egypt, meanwhile, is fighting a Daesh affiliate in northern Sinai since 2013.

*Anadolu Agency correspondent Mahmoud Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara