Iraq
Iraqi National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji meets with the US Ambassador to Baghdad Alina Romanowski on April 9, 2024. Photo: Araji's office/Facebook
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi National Security Advisor Qasim al-Araji on Tuesday stated the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani will establish a new era in Washington-Baghdad relations, during a meeting with US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski.
The Iraqi premier is scheduled to visit Washington on April 15, where he is set to meet with several top officials including US President Joe Biden.
Romanowski also labeled Sudani’s upcoming visit as “important”, adding that the two countries are headed towards a bilateral security agreement, according to a statement from Araji’s office.
The US and Iraq have begun discussions about winding down the presence of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) mission in Iraq. Baghdad is seeking to expel coalition forces from the country after the US carried out several airstrikes against Iraqi armed groups in retaliation for scores of attacks on its forces based in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan.
Baghdad’s language has been clear regarding the fact that the commission’s aim is to bring an end to the presence of the coalition forces in the country, while Washington has described the step as a “transition” in the forces’ roles.
Araji also noted during the meeting that the Strategic Framework Agreement between Iraq and the US covers all sectors, not just security, and stressed the importance of the international community repatriating its nationals from Al-Hol camp in northeast Syria’s Hasaka province.
Al-Hol houses over 50,000 ISIS-linked people. The camp has infamously been branded a breeding ground for terrorism, with authorities describing it as a “ticking time bomb.” The camp residents come from around the world, but the bulk are Syrian and Iraqi.
Iraqi and Kurdish authorities have repeatedly called on the international community to repatriate their nationals from the camps in northeast Syria, but their calls have largely gone unanswered as most countries are unwilling to bring back their nationals due to security concerns.
The Strategic Framework Agreement seeks to normalize Baghdad-Washington relations through long-term bilateral economic, diplomatic, cultural, and security cooperation. It went into effect in 2009.
The Iraqi premier is scheduled to visit Washington on April 15, where he is set to meet with several top officials including US President Joe Biden.
Romanowski also labeled Sudani’s upcoming visit as “important”, adding that the two countries are headed towards a bilateral security agreement, according to a statement from Araji’s office.
The US and Iraq have begun discussions about winding down the presence of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) mission in Iraq. Baghdad is seeking to expel coalition forces from the country after the US carried out several airstrikes against Iraqi armed groups in retaliation for scores of attacks on its forces based in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan.
Baghdad’s language has been clear regarding the fact that the commission’s aim is to bring an end to the presence of the coalition forces in the country, while Washington has described the step as a “transition” in the forces’ roles.
Araji also noted during the meeting that the Strategic Framework Agreement between Iraq and the US covers all sectors, not just security, and stressed the importance of the international community repatriating its nationals from Al-Hol camp in northeast Syria’s Hasaka province.
Al-Hol houses over 50,000 ISIS-linked people. The camp has infamously been branded a breeding ground for terrorism, with authorities describing it as a “ticking time bomb.” The camp residents come from around the world, but the bulk are Syrian and Iraqi.
Iraqi and Kurdish authorities have repeatedly called on the international community to repatriate their nationals from the camps in northeast Syria, but their calls have largely gone unanswered as most countries are unwilling to bring back their nationals due to security concerns.
The Strategic Framework Agreement seeks to normalize Baghdad-Washington relations through long-term bilateral economic, diplomatic, cultural, and security cooperation. It went into effect in 2009.
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