Iraq Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani reaffirmed on Tuesday that Iraq will continue its security and intelligence coordination with Syria, especially in counterterrorism and anti-narcotics operations, as part of ongoing efforts to secure the shared border, al-Sudani said during an interview with French Le Monde.
Al-Sudani stated that a small U.S. advisory unit will remain stationed at Ain al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq to help monitor movements along the Iraqi–Syrian border, emphasizing that relations between Baghdad and Washington are “based on partnership and coordination rather than unilateral decisions.”
The Iraqi leader stressed that the terrorist organization ISIS no longer poses a significant internal threat, estimating that 400 to 500 militants remain in isolated areas near the Syrian borders.
He added that Iraq’s security cooperation with Syria contributes to preventing cross-border infiltration and curbing narcotics trafficking networks that destabilize the region.
On October 10, Iraq renewed its call to enhance trilateral coordination among Syria, Iraq, and Turkey to strengthen border security and jointly combat terrorism in the region.
