Iraq, US hold talks to strengthen military cooperation

ISTANBUL (AA) – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani held talks in Baghdad on Wednesday with Gen. Michael Corella, commander of the US Central Command.

The meeting took up ways of strengthening military cooperation between the two countries, the state news agency INA reported.

“The Iraqi forces are determined to preserve the successes achieved in the war against terror,” al-Sudani said during the meeting.

He underlined the importance of “continuing joint work, especially in the field of advising and training the Iraqi forces.”

Wednesday’s meeting was attended by Major General Matthew McFarlane, the Commanding General of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria, and US Ambassador Elena Romansky.

The US has reiterated support to the Iraqi government in the fight against the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group.

In 2017, Iraq declared victory over Daesh/ISIS by reclaiming all of its territories – about a third of the country’s area – invaded by the terror group in 2014. But the terrorist movement still maintains sleeper cells in large areas of Iraq and periodically launches attacks.

* Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report