Latest news with #securitypartnership
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
US confirms change to military mission in Iraq
The US confirmed to The National a change in the status of its military mission in Iraq, which it said was transitioning to a bilateral security partnership. The move comes ahead of next month's scheduled withdrawal from certain areas in the country. Iraq and the US announced an agreement in September last year, under which the mission of the US-led coalition against ISIS will end by next month, with the remainder of American forces in he country to depart by the end of 2026. Reports suggested US troops had begun withdrawing from the Ain Al Assad base in the west of the country and from Baghdad International Airport to Erbil in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. A US embassy representative told The National this marked a "transition of the coalition's military mission in Iraq to a more traditional bilateral security partnership". "This is not the end of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, which will continue civilian-led efforts globally," the representative said, stopping short of explicitly confirming whether some troops had been moved. Hussein Allawi, adviser to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, told The National on Monday that the government remained committed to ending the US-led mission and shifting to a bilateral security partnership – without either side detailing what this would entail. 'The government's vision is to find a sustainable relationship that covers all fields, among them the security field,' he said. He noted that this approach has been pursued through 'a set of methodological foundations', beginning with the Higher Military Committee that discussed the mission of the International Coalition and the ending of the missions in September 2025 and 2026. According to the plan, coalition activities at its headquarters and at Ain Al Assad airbase will conclude in September 2025 as part of the first phase. The second and final phase is scheduled for completion in September 2026. He stressed that the process reflects 'the Iraqi government's commitment to implementing the agreement on ending the missions of the International Coalition and transferring the relations towards bilateral relations', describing it as a return to 'normal bilateral relations to the stage before the fall of Mosul on June 10, 2014'. Iraq seeks to maintain co-operation with the US, UK, Spain, Turkey, Nato and the European Union 'under the path of strategic agreements between the Republic of Iraq and the friendly countries of Iraq", he added. In particular, Baghdad aims to keep ties with Washington under the umbrella of the existing Strategic Framework Agreement. Dispute over US presence The US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS was formed in 2014 to degrade and defeat the group. Its military operations began with air strikes and later expanded to include advising and training Iraqi security forces. About 2,500 are still based in Iraq, where they work with Iraqi and Kurdish partners against ISIS cells. Iraq is also a launch pad for US-led anti-ISIS operations in Syria, where the group continues to operate but no longer controls territory. Sabah Al Numan, the prime minister's military spokesman, hailed the development as an "achievement and a testament to Iraq's ability to face terrorism and maintain security and stability without external assistance". US presence in the country has been a major point of contention in domestic Iraqi politics, sparking opposition from Tehran as well as Iran-aligned groups and politicians. The agreement for a staggered withdrawal was the outcome of increasing pressure by these factions on the Iraqi government to expel US forces from the country. American forces have also come under repeated attacks by Iran-backed forces since the US killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Qassem Suleimani in an air strike in 2020. Ain Al Assad, one of the largest military installations housing US troops, was targeted by Iranian missiles in response, causing more than 100 troops to suffer traumatic brain injuries. There was also a surge in the number of attacks after the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023, with groups operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claiming rocket and drone attacks on US assets. The change in the mission's status comes days after a security agreement between Iran and Iraq, signed during Iran's senior security chief Ali Larijani's visit to the country, sparked US backlash.
Arab News
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Russia warns US, South Korea and Japan against forming security alliance targeting North Korea
SEOUL, South Korea: Russia's foreign minister warned the US, South Korea and Japan against forming a security partnership targeting North Korea as he visited his country's ally for talks on further solidifying their booming military and other cooperation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke Saturday at North Korea's eastern Wonsan city, where he met the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, and conveyed greetings from President Vladimir Putin. Kim during the meeting reaffirmed his government's commitment to 'unconditionally support and encourage all measures' taken by Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. He said Pyongyang and Moscow share identical views on 'all strategic issues in conformity with the level of alliance,' according to North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency. Lavrov called for the two countries to further strengthen their 'strategic and tactical cooperation and intensify concerted action' in international affairs, KCNA reported. Relations between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing in recent years, with North Korea supplying troops and ammunition to support Russia's war against Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance. That has raised concerns among South Korea, the US and others that Russia might also transfer sensitive technologies to North Korea that can increase the danger of its nuclear and missile programs. Speaking with reporters after a meeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui, Lavrov accused the US, South Korea and Japan of what he called military buildups around North Korea. 'We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia,' he said, according to Russia's state Tass news agency. The US, South Korea and Japan have expanded or restored their trilateral military exercises in response to North Korea's advancing nuclear program. The three countries held a joint air drill Friday involving US nuclear-capable bombers near the Korean Peninsula as their top military officers met in Seoul and urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities threatening regional security. North Korea views major US-led military drills as invasion rehearsals and has long argued it is forced to develop nuclear weapons to defend itself from US military threats. Russia understands North Korea's decision to seek nuclear weapons, Lavrov said. 'The technologies used by North Korea are the result of the work of its own scientists. We respect North Korea's aspirations and understand the reasons why it is pursuing nuclear development,' Lavrov said, according to Tass. During their meeting, Choe reiterated North Korea 'unconditionally' supports Russia's fight against Ukraine, as Lavrov repeated Russia's gratitude for the contribution North Korean troops made in efforts to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia's Kursk border region. North Korea recently opened a mammoth beach resort in Wonsan city, the meeting venue, that it says can accommodate nearly 20,000 people. In his comments at the start of his meeting with Choe, Lavrov said, 'I am sure that Russian tourists will be increasingly eager to come here. We will do everything we can to facilitate this, creating conditions for this, including air travel,' according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone is at the center of Kim's push to boost tourism to improve his country's troubled economy. However, prospects for the tourist complex aren't clear as North Korea appears unlikely to fully reopen its borders and embrace Western tourists anytime soon.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia warns against security alliance targeting NKorea
Russia's foreign minister has warned the US, South Korea and Japan against forming a security partnership targeting North Korea as he visited his country's ally for talks on solidifying their booming military and other co-operation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke at North Korea's eastern Wonsan city on Saturday, where he met the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, and conveyed greetings from President Vladimir Putin. Relations between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing in recent years, with North Korea supplying troops and ammunition to support Russia's war against Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance. That has raised concerns among South Korea, the US and others that Russia might also transfer to North Korea sensitive technologies that can increase the danger of its nuclear and missile programs. Speaking with reporters after a meeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui, Lavrov accused the US, South Korea and Japan of "military buildups" around North Korea. "We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia," he said, according to Russia's state Tass news agency. The US, South Korea and Japan have been expanding or restoring their trilateral military exercises in response to North Korea's advancing nuclear program. On Friday, the three countries held a joint air drill involving US nuclear-capable bombers near the Korean Peninsula, as their top military officers met in Seoul and urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities that threaten regional security. North Korea views major US-led military drills as invasion rehearsals. It has long argued that it's forced to develop nuclear weapons to defend itself from US military threats. Lavrov said Russia understands North Korea's decision to seek nuclear weapons. "The technologies used by North Korea are the result of the work of its own scientists. We respect North Korea's aspirations and understand the reasons why it is pursuing nuclear development," Lavrov said, according to Tass. During their meeting, Choe reiterated that North Korea "unconditionally" supports Russia's fight against Ukraine, as Lavrov repeated Russia's gratitude for the contribution that North Korean troops made in efforts to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia's Kursk border region.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia warns US, South Korea and Japan against forming security alliance targeting North Korea
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Russia's foreign minister on Saturday warned the U.S., South Korea and Japan against forming a security partnership targeting North Korea as he visited his country's ally for talks on further solidifying their booming military and other cooperation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov flew to North Korea's eastern Wonsan city on Friday for a meeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui. Relations between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing in recent years, with North Korea supplying troops and ammunitions to support Russia's war against Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance. That has raised concerns among South Korea, the U.S. and others that Russia might also transfer to North Korea sensitive technologies that can increase the danger of its nuclear and missile programs. After a meeting with Choe on Saturday, Lavrov accused the U.S., South Korea and Japan of what he called their military buildups around North Korea. 'We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia,' he told reporters, according to Russia's state Tass news agency. The U.S., South Korea and Japan have been expanding or restoring their trilateral military exercises in response to North Korea's advancing nuclear program. On Friday, the three countries held a joint air drill involving U.S. nuclear-capable bombers near the Korean Peninsula, as their top military officers met in Seoul and urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities that threaten regional security. North Korea views major U.S.-led military drills as invasion rehearsals. It has long argued that it's forced to develop nuclear weapons to defend itself from U.S. military threats. Lavrov said Russia understands North Korea's decision to seek nuclear weapons. 'The technologies used by North Korea are the result of the work of its own scientists. We respect North Korea's aspirations and understand the reasons why it is pursuing a nuclear development,' Lavrov said. During their meeting, Choe reiterated that North Korea 'unconditionally' supports Russia's fight against Ukraine. She described ties between North Korea and Russia as 'the invincible alliance.' Lavrov said he repeated Russia's gratitude for the contribution that North Korean troops made in efforts to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia's Kursk border region. Wonsan city, the meeting venue, is where North Korea recently opened a mammoth beach resort that it says can accommodate nearly 20,000 people. In his comments at the start of his meeting with Choe, Lavrov said that 'I am sure that Russian tourists will be increasingly eager to come here. We will do everything we can to facilitate this, creating conditions for this, including air travel,' according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone is at the center of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's push to boost tourism as a way to improve his country's troubled economy. But prospects for the biggest tourist complex in North Korea aren't clear, as the country appears unlikely to fully reopen its borders and embrace Western tourists anytime soon. ___ Associated Press writer Elise Morton in Athens, Greece contributed to this report.
Washington Post
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Russia warns US, South Korea and Japan against forming security alliance targeting North Korea
SEOUL, South Korea — Russia's foreign minister on Saturday warned the U.S., South Korea and Japan against forming a security partnership targeting North Korea as he visited his country's ally for talks on further solidifying their booming military and other cooperation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov flew to North Korea's eastern Wonsan city on Friday for a meeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui. Relations between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing in recent years, with North Korea supplying troops and ammunitions to support Russia's war against Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance. That has raised concerns among South Korea, the U.S. and others that Russia might also transfer to North Korea sensitive technologies that can increase the danger of its nuclear and missile programs. After a meeting with Choe on Saturday, Lavrov accused the U.S., South Korea and Japan of what he called their military buildups around North Korea. 'We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia,' he told reporters, according to Russia's state Tass news agency. The U.S., South Korea and Japan have been expanding or restoring their trilateral military exercises in response to North Korea's advancing nuclear program. On Friday, the three countries held a joint air drill involving U.S. nuclear-capable bombers near the Korean Peninsula, as their top military officers met in Seoul and urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities that threaten regional security. North Korea views major U.S.-led military drills as invasion rehearsals. It has long argued that it's forced to develop nuclear weapons to defend itself from U.S. military threats. Lavrov said Russia understands North Korea's decision to seek nuclear weapons. 'The technologies used by North Korea are the result of the work of its own scientists. We respect North Korea's aspirations and understand the reasons why it is pursuing a nuclear development,' Lavrov said. During their meeting, Choe reiterated that North Korea 'unconditionally' supports Russia's fight against Ukraine. She described ties between North Korea and Russia as 'the invincible alliance.' Lavrov said he repeated Russia's gratitude for the contribution that North Korean troops made in efforts to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia's Kursk border region . Wonsan city, the meeting venue, is where North Korea recently opened a mammoth beach resort that it says can accommodate nearly 20,000 people. In his comments at the start of his meeting with Choe, Lavrov said that 'I am sure that Russian tourists will be increasingly eager to come here. We will do everything we can to facilitate this, creating conditions for this, including air travel,' according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone is at the center of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's push to boost tourism as a way to improve his country's troubled economy. But prospects for the biggest tourist complex in North Korea aren't clear, as the country appears unlikely to fully reopen its borders and embrace Western tourists anytime soon. ___ Associated Press writer Elise Morton in Athens, Greece contributed to this report.
