Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani has repeated his call for the United States-led international anti-Islamic State coalition to depart his country amid soaring regional tensions over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
“The end of the international coalition mission is a necessity for the security and stability of Iraq,” Sudani said during a televised event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
“It is also a necessity for preserving constructive bilateral relations between Iraq and the coalition countries.”
The US has about 2,500 soldiers in Iraq and nearly 900 in Syria supporting the anti-IS coalition.
Since the end of 2021, the coalition in Iraq said it halted all combat mission and is stationed on Iraqi military bases purely in and advisory and training capacity.
Sudani said the coalition was no longer needed.
“Today, according to the analysis of all specialists in Iraq and among our friends, ISIS does not represent a threat to the Iraqi state,” he said, using another acronym for IS.
Sudani, whose government relies on the support of Iran-aligned parties, has repeatedly said in recent weeks he would like to see foreign troops leave Iraq.