The spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of Iraq’s Armed Forces, Major General Yahya Rasool, announced that the three subcommittees derived from the High Military Committee for ending the International Coalition’s mission held their meetings in Baghdad with their counterparts from the International Coalition.
The discussions focused on evaluating the threat of terrorism, operational environment situations, and immediate and future options to enhance the capabilities of the Iraqi Armed Forces.
According to Major General Yahya Rasool, these meetings are a critical step toward finalizing the requirements for the plan to end the International Coalition’s mission against ISIS and transition to broader bilateral relations with the member states.
He highlighted that the subcommittees had submitted their meeting minutes to further this agenda and confirmed the continuation of regular meetings to complete their tasks.
This announcement comes in the wake of the statement made by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on January 25, indicating the commencement of meetings by the Working Group of the U.S.-Iraq High Military Committee.
These meetings are set to deliberate the future of the U.S. military presence in Iraq, marking a significant phase in the ongoing security cooperation dialogue between the United States and Iraq.
This dialogue, held in Washington on August 7-8, 2023, underscores the commitment of both nations to continue their collaboration in ensuring security and stability in the region.
Iraq’s Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, reaffirmed Iraq’s stance on the diminishing need for the international coalition’s presence in Iraq, highlighting the growing capabilities of the Iraqi security forces.
Al-Sudani expressed Iraq’s appreciation for the Netherlands’ support within the international coalition during the war against ISIS. He emphasized the importance of transitioning to bilateral relations to sustain cooperation and stabilization efforts in Iraq and the region.
