Macron: "We will continue to fight IS even after US troops withdraw from Iraq"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] French President Emmanuel Macron stated that French troops will remain in Iraq to continue the fight against the Islamic State (IS) even after the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

According to AFP and other foreign media on the 28th (local time), President Macron attended the "Middle East Regional Summit of Heads of State and Foreign Ministers" held in Baghdad, Iraq, and said, "France will continue to station troops in Iraq regardless of the choices made by the United States," emphasizing, "IS remains a persistent threat, so vigilance must not be relaxed." Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, the Iraqi Prime Minister who hosted the meeting, also responded, "Iraq and France are key partners in counterterrorism."

Earlier, the United States announced that it would end its combat mission in Iraq within this year. The end of the U.S. combat mission marks 18 years since the U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq in 2003. The U.S. forces withdrew from Iraq in 2011 but were redeployed in 2014 due to the rise of IS. In 2007, the number of U.S. troops stationed in Iraq reached 170,000, but now only about 2,500 remain.

The meeting also included foreign ministers from Iran and Saudi Arabia, who are rivals in the Middle East. Saudi state-owned Al Arabiya broadcast reported on the summit, stating, "Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan agreed to cooperate with Iraq to counter the threat of extremist forces."

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency also reported, "Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian emphasized the need to strengthen communication among neighboring countries to establish security for peace in the Middle East," adding, "He stated that there should be no foreign (Western) interference in this process."

A French diplomatic source told AFP in an interview, "It is not easy to bring Iran and Saudi Arabia into the same space," emphasizing, "The fact that the ministers of both countries sat together at the summit table itself is a success."

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