Summary
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani about recent detainee transfers from Syria to Iraq and urged Iraq to remain independent from Iran. The conversation is part of a larger discussion amid rising tensions between the US and Iran. The US military has begun moving ISIL detainees from Syria to Iraq as part of a new strategy in the region.
Key Facts
- Marco Rubio is the US Secretary of State and communicated with Iraq's Prime Minister on these issues.
- The US has transferred 150 ISIL-linked detainees from a facility in Syria to Iraq.
- Up to 7,000 detainees are planned to be moved to Iraq.
- The US historically worked with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) against ISIL but now partners more with Syrian and Iraqi governments.
- Iraq expects Nouri al-Maliki’s return as Prime Minister; his earlier term saw US ties strained.
- President Trump announced the movement of US warships towards Iran amid heightened tensions.
- The US has concerns about Iran's influence in Iraq through pro-Iranian armed groups known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
