Iraqi Prime Minister Supports Open-Ended US Troop Presence

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani defended the continued presence of US troops in the country and set no deadline for their withdrawal, in an interview with US media.

"We think that we need the foreign forces… Elimination of Daesh* needs some more time," Al-Sudani told the newspaper, referring to the US and NATO contingents that remain in the country in a non-combat role.

Meanwhile, the prime minister stressed that no foreign combat forces are needed inside Iraq. The role of the United States is limited to providing intelligence and training the Iraqi troops on how to fight Daesh* militants, the official added.

According to Al-Sudani, he is planning to send a high-level delegation to Washington for talks next months, a move expected to allow for his future meeting with US President Joe Biden, the newspaper said. Iraq strives to build similar relations with the US to what Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations already have, Al-Sudani noted.

In early January 2020, the Iraqi parliament voted to end the presence of foreign military in the country after a US strike killed an Iraqi militia leader and top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad. Since then, the US handed a number of military sites back over to Iraq, including airbases and army headquarters.

On December 22, 2021, Iraq's Joint Operations Command confirmed the withdrawal of armed forces of the coalition from Iraq except for military advisers.

*Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) is a terrorist organization banned in Russia.