Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stressed the need for cooperation to stabilise Syria and preserve its territorial unity during talks on Thursday with US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, according to official Iraqi media.
Al-Sudani received Barrack in Baghdad, where they discussed regional developments and the situation in Syria, the prime minister’s media office said in a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
The Iraqi premier underscored that security in Syria is important to Iraq and the wider region, calling for coordination to consolidate stability and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.
He also highlighted “a constructive partnership between Iraq and the United States in combating terrorism” alongside cooperation on economic development, sustainable growth and supporting bilateral and regional efforts for prosperity in Iraq and the region.
In a separate statement on X, Barrack, who is also the US Ambassador to Türkiye, said he conveyed appreciation on behalf of US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for Iraq’s “exceptional leadership within the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh” and “its steadfast willingness to help safeguard the international community from the enduring threat posed by Daesh detainees.”
“Iraq’s vital contributions to promoting stability in Syria, and across the broader region, are indispensable,” Barrack wrote, noting that Baghdad’s efforts are “a profound commitment to collective security and pave the way for a more peaceful, prosperous, and unified future for all our shared neighbours.”
The US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said it launched a mission on Wednesday to transfer Daesh detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq to help ensure the terrorists remain in secure detention facilities.
The mission follows an announcement Sunday by Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa of a ceasefire agreement with the YPG terror group to integrate its members into state institutions.
Under the deal, the YPG will withdraw its military formations east of the Euphrates River and hand over administrative and security control of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor provinces to the Syrian state.
The agreement also provides for the integration of YPG forces into the Syrian ministries of defence and interior following individual security vetting, as well as the transfer of border crossings, oil and gas fields, and civilian institutions to government control.
The deal followed a military operation launched by the Syrian Army, through which it regained wide areas in eastern and northeastern Syria after repeated violations by the YPG terror group of earlier agreements signed with Damascus nearly a year ago.
On Tuesday, the defence ministry announced a four-day ceasefire with the YPG. However, the group launched a series of attacks on Syrian positions on the first day of the truce, killing 11 soldiers and injuring 25 others.
