Exclusive-Islamic State still a threat in Iraq, US ambassador says
investing.comBy Timour Azhari
BAGHDAD (Reuters) — The Islamic State still poses a threat in Iraq and the U.S.-led military coalition's work with Iraq to fully defeat the group is not done, United States Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski told Reuters in an interview.
Senior Iraqi politicians, including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, have repeatedly said that the group no longer posed a threat in Iraq and the coalition was not needed, even as its affiliates continued to carry out attacks elsewhere.
«We both assess ISIS (Islamic State) is still a threat here, much, much diminished, but nevertheless our work is essentially not done and we want to ensure that Iraqi forces can continue the enduring defeat of ISIS,» Romanowski said at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
She was speaking after Islamic State's Afghan branch, ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for Friday's attack at a rock concert near Moscow, in which 137 people were killed.
«As this event reminds us, ISIS is a common terrorist enemy that must be defeated everywhere,» she said in an additional comment after the interview.
«That's why the United States and Iraq share a commitment to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, including by working together to shape the future of a strong bilateral U.S.-Iraq security partnership.»
Last week, at least three people died in a suicide bombing carried out by ISIS-K in Afghanistan and in January it claimed responsibility for a twin suicide bombing in Iran, which shares a 1,600 km (994 mile) border with Iraq.
Iraq's prime minister is due to meet U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington on April 15 to discuss the future of the coalition, as well as Iraqi financial reforms and a U.S. push to wean Iraq — a rare ally of both Washington and Tehran
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