Iraq, Germany discuss security ties, imminent withdrawal of US-led coalition

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi discussed security cooperation on Monday with German military commander Gunher Schneider, along with preparations for the final withdrawal of an international US-led coalition from Iraq.

According to a statement released by al-Zaidi’s office, the prime minister received Schneider, the commander of German forces deployed overseas, and an accompanying delegation, in Baghdad.

The meeting addressed bilateral security ties and the implementation of “joint programs” aimed at “enhancing the performance and efficiency of the Iraqi Armed Forces,” the statement read.

The two sides also discussed preparations for the imminent withdrawal of US-led coalition forces from Iraq, with al-Zaidi stressing the need to transition to “multidimensional relations” with coalition partners.

The prime minister also praised Germany’s “longstanding role in assisting Iraq in its fight against terrorism, particularly during the period of confronting members of the ISIS terrorist organization.”

Earlier this month, al-Zaidi confirmed that the coalition’s mission in Iraq would end on Sept. 30, describing the deadline as “final and irreversible.”

In September 2024, Baghdad and Washington agreed on a two-stage plan to wrap up the coalition’s mission after a decade-long deployment.

The first phase, initially slated for last September, included the withdrawal of coalition of personnel, the handover of bases, and a transition to bilateral security partnerships.

The second phase, which extends to September of this year, allows the coalition’s mission in neighboring Syria to continue using an airbase in Iraq’s northern city of Erbil.

The US-led coalition -- which includes countries such as Germany, France and Spain -- was established in 2014 to combat Daesh/ISIS after the terrorist group overran large swathes of Iraq and Syria.

In December 2017, then-Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over Daesh/ISIS following three years of intense fighting.

The group, however, continues to carry out sporadic attacks in Iraq’s northern, western and eastern provinces, while Iraqi forces still conduct security sweeps against remaining Daesh/ISIS cells that reportedly still exist in the country.