France’s leader in Baghdad said the threat from ISIS remains and France is committed to fighting it.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the threat from the terrorist organization Islamic State remains and France is ready to continue supporting Iraq in the fight against it. He said this on Saturday, August 28, at a joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazimi, the Elysee Palace press office reported.
“The IS lost territory in 2017, thanks to the bravery of the Iraqi armed forces and the support of the international coalition. But we must not let our guard down because the IS is still a threat, and I know that for your government the fight against terrorists remains a priority,” Macron said.
The French leader is visiting Iraq to attend the Baghdad Conference on Cooperation and Partnership, which will be attended by leaders and representatives of countries in the Middle East region as well as France and Japan. In addition to maintaining stability and security in the region, the meeting will discuss helping Iraq hold general elections scheduled for October, efforts to rebuild what has been destroyed by years of war in the country, and the fight against terrorism and extremism.
According to Macron, the very fact of organizing such an event is a victory.
“We were able to bring together around the same table heads of state and government who sometimes have not even spoken to each other so that they can work together again and find solutions for the region together,” he said, speaking at a news conference with Iraqi President Barham Saleh.
In addition to attending the conference, Macron plans to visit the al-Kazimiyah Mosque in Baghdad, the Elysee Palace said Saturday. The French leader will also visit Mosul, where he will meet with representatives of the Christian community and visit the local university. The final part of the visit will be to the city of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, where he will meet with the former head of the autonomous region, Massoud Barzani, and representatives of Kurdish peshmerga formations.
