WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Thursday to discuss the US-led coalition’s efforts against Islamic State terrorist group that has made major gains in the country, according to US Department of Defense Twitter message.
#SecDef meets with Iraqi Defense Minister Ubaidi and PM @HaiderAlAbadi to discuss coalition effort to defeat #ISIL pic.twitter.com/0ceD4cW0ru
— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) 23 июля 2015
Carter’s trip to Iraq comes as the United States with its international coalition partners attempt to take back the Iraqi city of Ramadi, capital of the Anbar province, seized by ISIL in May.
“I’ve been in the Middle East for three days now and I’ve met with a lot of important people,” Carter said via Facebook on Thursday.
The US-led Coalition of some 60 nations has been carrying out airstrikes against ISIL targets in Iraq, while Iraqi forces continue to fight ISIL forces on the ground.
According to the most recent report of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over 3.1 million people have been displaced in Iraq since 2014 as the country fights the ISIL insurgency.
"We can beat #ISIL- we know that — but lasting defeat means that Iraqis must own this fight." —#SecDef to troops in Iraq @82ndABNDIV
— U.S. Dept of Defense (@DeptofDefense) 23 июля 2015
