Reaffirming the United States’s commitment to the security and prosperity of Iraq, Commander of U.S. Central Command Gen. Michael E. Kurilla paid a two-day visit to Iraq in April 2022.
During his visit, Gen. Kurilla met with military and civilian leaders, led by then-Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. A statement by al-Kadhimi’s office said that the two officials discussed bilateral security and military cooperation, the ongoing war on terrorism, and the latest operations of the Iraqi Armed Forces against Daesh remnants.
Al-Kadhimi underlined the importance of maintaining the momentum in the war on terrorism and preventing Daesh cells from growing.
“After the global coalition’s mission against terrorism has shifted to train, advise, assist and building the capacity of the Iraqi military, we must continue to pursue and eradiate Daesh remnants,” al-Kadhimi said.
For his part, Gen. Kurilla commended the Iraqi security forces’ combat skills and capacity to implement field operations exploiting the full potential of the Iraqi air forces.
To guide overall U.S. political, economic, cultural and security ties with Iraq, the two nations in December 2008 signed the Strategic Framework Agreement for a Relationship of Friendship and Cooperation (SFA).
The SFA is designed to help the Iraqi people stand on their own, reinforce Iraqi sovereignty, normalize the U.S.-Iraqi relationship with strong economic, diplomatic, cultural and security cooperation, and serve as the foundation for a long-term bilateral relationship based on mutual goals.
Honoring its commitment to the security and stability of Iraq and at the Iraqi government’s invitation, the U.S. on September 10, 2014, announced the formation of a broad international coalition — about 80 nations — to defeat Daesh and liberate Iraqi territories Daesh occupied in June 2014.
As a result, Iraq declared victory over the physical “caliphate” in December 2017, after Iraqi forces dislodged its last remnants from its cities. And in March 2019, Daesh lost its last remaining stronghold in the eastern town of Baghouz, Syria, and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed seven months later by coalition forces.