BAGHDAD: Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Iraqi counterpart Haidar Al Abadi held talks yesterday in Baghdad on security cooperation, in a sign of an easing in the long-strained ties between their countries.
Iraq is battling to retake large areas overrun by the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group while Turkey borders territory which the militants control in neighbouring Syria.
Davutoglu “offered Turkish military assistance to Iraq,” Abadi said at a joint news conference, later adding that this could include arming and training members of Iraq’s planned national guard.
Iraqi volunteer forces “need training... and we may discuss training these forces in neighbouring Turkey,” Abadi said.
The Iraqi premier also said that he agreed to visit Turkey next month.
Davutoglu’s trip to Iraq follows a visit to Turkey by Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Al Jaafari earlier this month that was aimed at patching up the chilly ties between the two neighbours.AFP
