US Secretary of Defense pays surprise visit to Baghdad

BAGHDAD, March 07 (YPA) – US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made an unannounced visit to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on Tuesday, according to his accompanying staff.

Austin is the highest-ranking ministerial official to visit Iraq since the beginning of US President Joe Biden’s term, according to the American group.

“I am in Iraq to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq as we move toward a more secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq,” Austin said in a statement.

Austin is expected to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani and other senior officials while he is in Baghdad, and the meeting will not be in front of the camera, according to the Arabic-language “CNN” website.

The website reported that Austin will return to the Jordanian capital, Amman, from where he began his tour of the countries of the region on Sunday.

YPA