Iraq Sets New Plan to Protect Global Coalition Forces

Arab World

August 21st, 7:47am

Baghdad – Asharq Al-Awsat

Soldiers place barbed wire on a street during a curfew in Baghdad. (Reuters)

Iraq announced that it is developing new plans to secure logistical support for the Global Coalition to defeat ISIS, which mostly travels the road linking Iraq's southern ports in Basra with their bases in the north and northwest. The Iraqi military and security services are developing plans to secure the upcoming Regional Neighborhood Summit, referred to as the Baghdad summit, through a series of measures inside the city, notably the Green Zone. They also want to secure the external roads taken by the international coalition support convoys, which were attacked with explosives, as they continue to chase ISIS elements in their stronghold in the Tarmiyah area northwest of Baghdad. A recent phone call between Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi discussed the summit. Many reports and media leaks have said that Raisi will attend the summit. The talks were seen as opening a new chapter in relations, especially since Raisi, unlike his predecessor Hassan Rouhani, brings together to contradictory parties: the Revolutionary Guards Corps and the reformists, meaning his orders are binding to both camps. Attacks against American forces and interests by armed factions in Iraq have notably died down since Raisi was sworn in office earlier this month. Washington is also continuing to withdraw its forces from Iraq to Kuwait. As arrangements are ongoing to hold the summit, Iraqi security forces continue to comb the Tarmiyah area for ISIS elements. The Security Media Cell announced that Iraqi forces have arrested a terrorist during operations to clear Tarmiyah. The statement added that the Baghdad Operations Command managed to destroy two hostels used by ISIS terrorist gangs. The Intelligence Unit of the 20th Division also discovered several bombs and missiles in the al-Qahtaniyah district in Anbar Governorate. According to a statement, the unit uncovered a 120 mm mortar bomb, 13 explosive devices in a gas cylinder, 10 Katyusha rockets and a 155 mm shell.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3143856/iraq-sets-new-plan-protect-global-coalition-forces