Turkey to cooperate with Iraq in fighting IS: Iraqi PM

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com)- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al- Abadi said on Thursday that Turkey has offered military cooperation to fight the Islamic State (IS) extremist militant group, which represents a threat to the whole region.

“There is an agreement on information exchange and security cooperation (with Turkey), and moreover, the Turkish prime minister has offered military cooperation in fighting against the terror of Daash (IS’ Arabic acronym), which is not only a threat against Iraq but also against Turkey and the whole region,” Abadi said a joint press conference with visiting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

The security situation in Iraq has changed, making the Iraqi forces to shift from defending positions to fighting in faraway areas, Abadi added, welcoming Turkey’s support.

Davutoglu said that “Turkey has suffered a lot from terrorism and we are against any form of terrorism … Any threat to Iraq is a threat to Turkey and we will provide intelligence support for Iraq in its fight against terrorism.” He added that Turkey is ready to conclude agreements with Iraq and to conduct joint military training.

“Our relations with Iraq have strategic dimensions in the areas of economy, energy and investments, and there will be a serious and excellent cooperation in all these areas,” Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu arrived in Baghdad on Thursday for an official visit. He is to meet with Iraqi leaders on boosting bilateral relations and fighting the IS group. The Turkish prime minister will also visit Erbil, capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan. /End/