BAGHDAD — U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s push for Iraq to let Turkey play a role in the Mosul battle encountered resistance Saturday from Iraq’s prime minister, who said his country’s forces will oust Islamic State militants from the northern city.
BAGHDAD — U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s push for Iraq to let Turkey play a role in the Mosul battle encountered resistance Saturday from Iraq’s prime minister, who said his country’s forces will oust Islamic State militants from the northern city.
“I know that the Turks want to participate, we tell them thank you, this is something the Iraqis will handle and the Iraqis will liberate Mosul and the rest of the territories,” Haider al-Abadi said through a translator after meeting with the Pentagon chief in Baghdad.
Iraqi, Kurdish and other local forces will handle the battle for Mosul, al-Abadi said.
“We don’t have any problems,” he said, adding that if help is needed, “we will ask for it from Turkey or from other regional countries.”
He acknowledged that both sides have made recommendations and that they will meet again, suggesting that the door may still be open to some compromise.
Carter, who arrived in Iraq on Saturday to meet with his commanders and assess the progress in the opening days of the Mosul operation, told reporters that the issue of a Turkish role in the military campaign is a difficult subject.
The U.S. role “is to work with our partners in the coalition and the Iraqi government to try to resolve issues like this and make sure that we’re all focused” on fighting IS.
“I am confident that we can play a constructive role there.”
One day earlier, Carter met with Turkish leaders in Ankara and said “an agreement in principle” was reached for a Turkish role.
Carter stressed at the time that any final decision would be up to the Iraqis, while expressing optimism the Turks and Iraqis could settle their differences.
His visit to Iraq came two days after a U.S. service member was killed outside Mosul, underscoring the risk that American troops are taking as they advise Iraqi forces in the fight.