French armed forces minister visits Iraq following turnover of US base
French Defense Minister Florence Parly's visit coincides with discussions between Iraq and the United States on the future of American troops in the country; France is a part of the US-led anti-IS coalition in Iraq.
France’s defense minister headed to Iraq on Thursday to reiterate her country’s commitment to Iraq’s security and the fight against the Islamic State (IS).
Florence Parly’s visit comes following the visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to Washington last week.
In Washington, Kadhimi met with US President Donald Trump. The United States and Iraq held meetings in the context of the "strategic dialogue," which included discussions of the US-Iraq security relationship and future US troop presence.
The United States has about 5,200 troops in Iraq right now.
