NATO Chief Meets With Iraqi Prime Minister In Baghdad To Discuss Training Mission Progress

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi in Baghdad on Tuesday to discuss the progress of NATO's training mission, which was established in October 2018, and the security situation in the region

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th September, 2019) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi in Baghdad on Tuesday to discuss the progress of NATO's training mission, which was established in October 2018, and the security situation in the region.

Stoltenberg arrived in Baghdad on Monday accompanied by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen. Tod Wolters.

"Important meeting in Baghdad today with Prime Minister ... of Iraq. NATO's training & advisory support here makes Iraq & NATO Allies safer by helping prevent the return of Daesh [IS, the Islamic State terrorist organization, banned in Russia]. Training national forces is one of our best tools in the fight against terrorism," Stoltenberg said on Twitter.

According to the NATO press service, Stoltenberg will also meet with Iraqi Defense Minister Najah Shammari and deliver remarks at the Iraqi Defense University.

In 2018, NATO members decided to send trainers and support staff to Iraq to provide advice and assistance to the Iraqi National Operations Center, Defense Ministry and the Office of National Security Adviser with an aim to prevent the return of IS to Iraq.

Baghdad announced the defeat of IS in late 2017, three years after it overran much of the country. By March 2019, Iraqi forces, backed by US-led coalition airstrikes, recaptured all the territories occupied by the terrorist group in Iraq. However, IS continues to stage sporadic attacks.