'Cooperation with Russia, Iran, and Syria vital in fight against terrorism': Iraqi official

ByNews Desk- The Cradle

Baghdad has expressed concerns about a possible plot for the 'return of terrorists and their spread in the region'

Iraq's National Security Advisor Qassem al-Araji (Photo credit: ALAA AL-MARJANI/Reuters)

During a meeting of the four-member Information Exchange and Coordination Center in Baghdad on 24 February, Iraqi National Security Adviser Qassem al-Araji said that the help of Russia, Iran, and Syria has been instrumental in the fight against extremist groups in the country.

According to a statement released by the national security office, Al-Araji praised “the friendly and brotherly countries in monitoring and following up the movements of terrorists,” stressing that “cooperation and joint action with these countries have resulted in strong and deterrent strikes against terrorism and its leaders.”

The Iraqi official went on to say that Baghdad has fears that “there is a plot for the return of terrorists and their spread in the region, which will generate a state of instability,” noting that “what happened in [Ghweran] prison and the terrorists’ control of the prison for a whole week is evidence of the inability of the Syrian Democratic Forces to protect this place.”

Al-Araji was referring to a bloody battle that took place last month in Syria’s northeastern Hasakah governorate between ISIS fighters and SDF forces backed by the US army.

Earlier this week Al-Araji made an urgent call to the EU and other western countries to repatriate nationals affiliated with ISIS that are imprisoned in poorly-run prisons and makeshift camps across northern Syria.

During his meeting with the representatives from Russia, Iran, and Syria, Iraq’s national security advisor also stressed “the importance of continuing the work of the Quartet Center for Information Exchange, and supporting it further,” noting that “Iraq looks with a big eye to those who stood with it in the days of adversity.”

The four-member Information Exchange and Coordination Center was formed in September 2015, about a year after ISIS took control of large areas of Iraq in the north and west of the country.