Alwaght- US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on a surprise visit arrived in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad to meet with the Iraqi Leaders on Monday.
"SecDef greeted in Baghdad by Ambassador to Iraq Stuart Jones and LTG Sean MacFarland," the DoD tweeted in a post alongside a video showing the defense chief emerging from his plane at the Baghdad airfield.
US Defense Secretary is visiting the war-torn Iraq as the country's army is pushing for liberation of strategic city of Mosul, ISIS main stronghold.
Iraqi Army backed by Popular Mobilization Forces(PMF), also known as Hashid Shaabi, in a historic operation, liberated Fallujah city from ISIS terrorist group on 26 June 2016, paving the way for 'mother of all battles", i.e. Mosul battle.
On the onset of Fallujah operation the US announced that it will not help Iraqi army to retake Fallujah unless Abadi's government prevents PMF, mainly Shiite militia organization, from participating in the operation.
Nevertheless, Iraqi military backed by PMF and without US aid managed to free some parts of the city, making Pentagon to withdraw from its precondition and launch some airstrikes against ISIS.to receive a share, although small one.
On June 18, Iraqi forces launched an offensive against ISIS terrorists to retake the southern part of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, and the town of Qayyarah, one day after the forces fully liberated the strategic city of Fallujah.
The Iraqi army and PMF have ousted ISIS terrorists from al-Qayara air base in Southern Mosul after heavy clashes with the Takfiri terrorist group on 8 July.
As the Iraqi army is preparing for main operation in Mosul, US defense minister visits Baghdad and upon his arrival expresses readiness of his country to help Iraq in Mosul’s Liberation Operation.
It seems that US wants to get involved in the landmark operation from the very beginning steps downplay PMF role as well as to get the lion's share.
Before making his unannounced visit to Baghdad on Monday, Mr. Carter said that US forces will help Iraq set up a logistics hub in the recaptured al-Qayara airfield to use for a push on Mosul.
U.S. officials said Carter would meet Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defense Minister Khaled al-Obaidi in Baghdad.
