Blinken's UNANNOUNCED visits to Baghdad and Ramallah
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken waits to board a helicopter on the tarmac upon arrival en route to meeting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, November 5, 2023.
As part of his whirlwind trip through the Middle East, Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Iraq on Sunday.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken waits to board a helicopter on the tarmac upon arrival en route to meeting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, at Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, November 5, 2023.
In Baghdad, blinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani for more than an hour and visited the US Embassy, where he received a briefing on the threat to US facilities.
Iranian-backed proxy groups have intensified attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria. US officials have warned against other parties getting involved in the Israel-Hamas war.
Amid escalating settler violence, Blinken meets with Palestinian Authority President Abbas in the West Bank.
US forces were targeted by three drones last month in Iraq. One attack caused minor injuries to coalition forces. Since the US ended its combat mission in Iraq and transitioned to advising and assisting the Iraqi military, attacks on US forces have become increasingly rare.
During his meeting with the prime minister, Blinken said he made clear that attacks against US personnel by Iranian-backed militias are not acceptable.
According to Blinken, the US will "do whatever is necessary to protect our personnel and military facilities."
The US and Iraq have a "shared purpose and commitment" to prevent Iranian-backed militia attacks, and he praised al-Sudani for his "important statement condemning the attacks."
During a news conference, Blinken said he is working with his own security forces to prevent them.
The two leaders also discussed ensuring the conflict in Gaza does not spread into the wider region and the US commitment to coordinating with Iraq and other Middle Eastern partners to ensure access to humanitarian aid, according to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. Miller also stressed the need to prevent Palestinians from being forcibly relocated outside of Gaza.
In addition to his visit to Iraq, Blinken met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday in Ramallah amid growing settler violence in the West Bank. During his trip to the region, Blinken made stops in Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus. From Iraq, he will travel to Turkey.
