Iraq won’t be place to harm others: Official

By Ibrahim Saleh

BAGHDAD

Iraq will not be a launching pad to harm other countries, Iraqi National Security Adviser Falih al-Fayyadh said on Wednesday.

"We will not accept the presence of foreign military bases in Iraq and there are no foreign ground forces on our territory," he told a Baghdad conference on fighting Daesh ideology.

"The presence of the [U.S.-led] international coalition came at the request of the government," he said, citing that the coalition provides military training and consultations to Iraq.

Al-Fayyadh, who is also head of the paramilitary Hashd al-Shaabi fighting force, said Iraq is open to cooperate with all countries in the fight against Daesh.

In late 2017, Baghdad declared victory over the notorious terrorist group following a three-year war that ended with the fall of Mosul, Daesh’s last major stronghold in Iraq.

The Iraqi army, however, continues to wage frequent operations against Daesh "sleeper cells", which officials claim are still active in certain parts of the country.