EU to send security assistance mission to Iraq

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The European Union agreed Monday to send a security assistance delegation to Iraq as part of its Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP).

“The mission will focus on assisting the Iraqi authorities in the implementation of the civilian aspects of the Iraqi security strategy,” said the council in a statement. “EU experts will provide advice and assistance in priority work areas responding to the needs of the relevant authorities.”

The national security strategy aims at building state institutions capable of consolidating security, peace and preventing conflicts under the rule of law, and outlines a number of threats to national security, including terrorism, corruption, political instability and ethnic and sectarian polarisation, the organization added.

It explained that the move came in response to a request from Iraqi authorities to assist in civilian security reform.

Iraq has recently declared victory over the Islamic State militants in Mosul, the group’s  former capital in Iraq, marking a symbolic collapse of the group’s self-proclaimed “Caliphate”. A U.S.-led coalition of more than 60 countries, including European, had backed Baghdad’s military operations against the group since its emergence in 2014.

Last week, the EU declared it was increasing its humanitarian assistance to Iraq for 2017 to EU211 million.