Iraqi PM, Global Coalition Commander hold security talks attended by Romanowski: official

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, met with General Joel Vowell, the commander of the Global Coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, for security talks on Monday, an official press release by his bureau revealed.

The meeting, according to the press release, was also attended by the US ambassador to Iraq, Alina Romanowski.

Al-Sudani and his guests discussed ways to enhance the security cooperation between Iraq and the Coalition forces, laying emphasis on the latter’s role in providing advice, intelligence, training, and weaponry to the Iraqi forces.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces and the Commander of the Global Coalition endorsed the ongoing work of the joint committee they agreed to form following the visit of the Iraqi Minister of Defense to the United States last August.

During the two-day visit, the US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Iraqi Defense Minister Thabit Muhammad al-Abassi refined the terms of the security agreement between their respective countries.

“The joint security cooperation dialogue reflects our maturing strategic partnership building on the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue in July 2021 when the US forces with a combat role, ended their mission,” said Austin.

Ties will continue to grow after the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group is defeated, he added.

For its part, the official Iraqi News Agency said on Wednesday that “Iraq is committed to protecting American personnel and advisors, the international coalition, convoys, and diplomatic facilities.”

The statement added that the delegations participating in the dialogue expressed their intention to “hold subsequent joint security cooperation dialogues and related meetings to discuss the evolving threat from Daesh/ISIS.”

Both delegations also concurred on the need to “develop Iraq’s security and defense capabilities” in a manner that ensures the advancement of the common interests of our two countries in the security and sovereignty of Iraq, as well as the stability of the region.

On July 26, 2021, Baghdad and Washington reached an agreement on the withdrawal of US combat forces from Iraq by the end of the same year. A small number remained to provide advice and training for Iraqi forces.