Defense secretary makes unannounced visit to Iraq ahead of 20 year anniversary of invasion
Lloyd Austin visits Baghdad to talk to Iraqi officials about the U.S.'s role in helping to secure the country from threats like ISIS.
BAGHDAD (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made an unannounced visit on Tuesday to the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, just days before the 20th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein.
Austin was greeted on touchdown in Baghdad by Maj. Gen. Matthew McFarlane, the U.S. commander in Iraq. The defense secretary is expected to meet top officials during his visit to Iraq, which is home to hundreds of American troops helping in the fight against the militant Islamic State group.
The United States and Iran have been at odds since 2003, when they invaded Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein from power. Over the past two decades, Iran has significantly increased its influence in Iraq.
Austin tweeted, "I'm here as we move towards a more secure and stable, sovereign Iraq," upon his arrival.
Even though they were defeated in Iraq in 2017, IS militants, and their sleeper cells, are still planning attacks in the country as well as in Syria. Over the past few months, IS has wounded and killed dozens of Iraqi soldiers. The U.S. has been asking countries all over the globe to return their citizens to al-Hol camp, northeast Syria. This camp holds tens to thousands of children and women linked to IS. Most of them are Syrians and Iraqis.
Over the past few weeks, Iraq has repatriated over 500 children and women from Al-Hol.