Trump to Iraqi PM: You will find strong, deep support from US

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – In a phone call with the Prime Minister of Iraq on Friday evening, the US President-elect Donald Trump expressed Washington’s strong support for the federal government of Iraq.

According to the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s press office, the PM congratulated Trump on winning the recent presidential election.

Moreover, Abadi expressed Iraq’s desire to expand and strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries.

“The two sides also discussed the victories achieved by Iraqi forces in their war against Da’esh, and the importance of unifying all efforts against the roots of terrorism and its ideology which feeds sectarian polarization,” the statement read, using the Arabic term for the Islamic State (IS).

Abadi mentioned Iraqi forces had liberated large swaths of territory from the extremist group, and the military operation to liberate Mosul, the second-largest city in the country, was ongoing.

“You are essential partners to us, and you will find strong and deep support,” the media office quoted Trump’s statement in the phone call with Abadi.

Trump also invited the Iraqi PM to visit the United States for a meeting “soon after the inauguration ceremonies next January.”

Iraq is currently passing through economic, political, and security turmoil.

Iraqi and Kurdish forces launched a military offensive on Oct. 17 to retake Mosul. The forces have liberated many areas around the city and clashes are ongoing from different front lines.

IS emerged in Mosul in June 2014 and began to expand to Nineveh, Diyala, Salahaddin, and Anbar provinces. Since then, the group has lost most of its territory in the country.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany