Biden Invites Iraqi Prime Minister to White House on 26th

Discussion Expected on US Troop Withdrawal Schedule

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minji Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden is scheduled to invite Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to the White House for a meeting on the 26th, AFP and other agencies reported on the 16th (local time).

A White House spokesperson said, "We hope that the meeting between President Biden and Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi will strengthen cooperation between the two countries on political, economic, and security issues."

President Biden and Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi are expected to discuss bilateral issues, including a specific timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq. On the 15th, Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi also met with Brett McGurk, the U.S. presidential envoy for the defeat of the Islamic State (IS), to discuss the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

Currently, about 2,500 U.S. troops are stationed in Iraq, deployed since 2014 to defeat IS. This meeting between the two leaders comes amid increasing clashes between pro-Iranian armed groups in Iraq and U.S. forces. On the 7th, a pro-Iranian militia fired 14 rockets at a U.S. military base located in western Iraq, injuring two U.S. personnel.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.