Iraqi PM, General Soleimani Confer on Counter-Terrorism Efforts
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and IRGC Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani exchanged views on Tehran-Baghdad joint efforts to fight against militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), media reports said Saturday.
During the meeting held in in Iraq, the two sides discussed Iran’s military support for the Iraqi government in its fight against terrorism as well as future plans for training volunteer forces in the Arab country, Iraq's al-Youm al-Samen news website quoted former Iraqi MP Kamal al-Saedi as saying.
The Iraqi premier, in the meeting, criticized Washington’s delayed military assistance to Baghdad, arguing that the US military lacked a clear strategy after its withdrawal from the country, the report said.
Iraq has been facing the growing threat of terrorism, mainly posed by the ISIL Takfiri militants.
The ISIL terrorists made swift advances in much of northern and western Iraq over the summer, after capturing large swaths of northern Syria.
However, a combination of concentrated attacks by the Iraqi military and the volunteer forces, who rushed to take arms after top Iraqi cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani issued a fatwa calling for fight against the militants, have blunted the edge of the ISIL offensive.
Amid tensions in Iraq, Iran is known as the first country to help the Arab country and has always voiced support for Iraq’s solidarity and prosperity.