Iraq PM seeks more Jordan help to battle ISIS

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi called for greater cooperation with Jordan in the battle against the Islamic State jihadist group, as he held talks Sunday in Amman, state media reported.

Jordan, which borders Iraq’s Anbar province, much of which has been overrun by ISIS, is one of several countries taking part in U.S.-led air strikes against the extremist group that began in Iraq but has since been expanded to Syria.

Abadi met separately with King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Abdullah Nsur.

He briefed Nsur on what he called “security and terrorist challenges facing Iraq, particularly ones from Daesh which is destroying Iraqi civilisation,” Jordan’s state news agency Petra said.

Daesh is a pejorative Arab acronym for ISIS, which has overrun large areas of Iraq since June and also holds significant territory in Syria.

Abadi told Nsur that “increased cooperation” was needed between Baghdad and Amman to crush the jihadists who pose a “threat to the entire region”.

“Our vision for the future is to develop political, economic and trade ties” also, he said, according to Petra.

Nsur told his guest that Jordan wants to see an Iraq which is “strong, not torn apart, so that it can be a support” for all Arab countries.

King Abdullah also pledged Jordan’s “full support” for Baghdad and the U.S.-led coalition “in confronting terrorist organizations”, the palace said.

Abadi’s office said earlier that his talks in Amman would focus on “security cooperation in the field of combatting terrorism and facing the (ISIS) group”.

His visit to Jordan comes shortly after a trip to Iran, Iraq’s neighbour to the east, during which Abadi also discussed the fight against ISIS.