Iraqi President Barham Salih stressed the importance of facing and isolating extremist ideology as long as it is being used to spread hatred, atonement, and murder.
During the inauguration of Baghdad International Book Fair on Thursday, Salih said Iraq’s political life is at a transformation stage in which victory over terrorism and violence must be strengthened with further measures and reforms.
“This does not only require some executive, legislative, social and cultural measures but also a concerted and responsible regional action until we all achieve a regional environment clean from the causes of the growth and proliferation of terrorism in ideology and action.”
His statements come as concerns over growing ISIS activities in different areas of Iraq.
“ISIS hotbeds all over al-Jazeera, Makhul, Hamrin, Qaraqosh, Dabas and Qadir Karam areas in Iraq indicate that joint security risks face the Kurdistan region and of Nineveh and Kirkuk provinces," Leader of Iraq's Qarar Coalition Athil al-Nujaifi told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Nujaifi stressed that this “requires high-security coordination among security forces in these provinces and the Kurdistan region,” adding that this file needs to be prioritized.
“In light of the growing conflict between the Americans and Iranians, ISIS seems to be an instrument used by the two sides with the aim of creating chaos," he said.
Nujaifi also warned that the fragile situation in Nineveh helps to complete all foreign agendas no matter the damages they could cause.
“Iraqi political forces’ lack of awareness and their interest in weakening their opponents without taking into account the consequences of losing confidence and credibility leads to maintaining the fragile situation in Mosul.”
Head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) delegation in the Iraqi parliament Vian Sabri, for her part, told Asharq Al-Awsat that ISIS still poses a threat to Iraq even though it is militarily defeated, warning that it still remains as an ideology or an organization.
“Reasons behind growing terrorism still exist, and Iraq also still needs the international community’s efforts in the fight against terrorism," she said.
