Iraq Sends Senior Security Delegation to Riyadh After Recent Attacks
A senior Iraqi security delegation has arrived in Riyadh for talks with Saudi officials on recent armed-group attacks and efforts to strengthen intelligence and security coordination.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - A senior Iraqi security delegation arrived in Riyadh on Thursday to meet with Saudi security officials, with recent attacks by armed groups and efforts to prevent their recurrence expected to top the agenda.
The delegation, headed by Abdul Amir al-Shammari, director of the office of the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and Hamid al-Shatri, head of Iraq’s intelligence service, arrived in the Saudi capital on Thursday.
According to the information provided, the Iraqi delegation will discuss with Saudi officials recent attacks by armed groups against Saudi Arabia, as well as the joint Saudi-US response targeting several Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) positions.
The talks will also address coordination between intelligence and security efforts aimed at preventing further attacks.
The Iraqi delegation’s visit comes days after a Saudi delegation traveled to Baghdad, headed by Khalid bin Ali Al-Humaidan, head of Saudi Arabia’s intelligence service.
During that visit, Al-Humaidan met with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi.
Zaidi reiterated his government’s commitment to strengthening coordination with Saudi Arabia and stressed Baghdad’s commitment to preventing Iraqi territory from being used for any action that could harm the security of other countries.
Zaidi had been scheduled to visit Riyadh on July 30, but the visit was postponed following Saudi and US airstrikes on positions belonging to several PMF groups.
The strikes came in response to earlier attacks by those groups against Saudi Arabia.
The latest Iraqi-Saudi security talks come as both sides seek to strengthen coordination and address the security concerns arising from the recent escalation.