Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi yesterday called on the Gulf states and the regional countries to appreciate his country’s role in defending the region against Islamic State (ISIS)’s expansion instead of offending it, the Anadolu Agency reported.
A statement issued by Al-Abadi’s office said: “Iraqi soldiers are fighting for their land and dignity and, despite the intensity of the war, there are large numbers of volunteers wishing to fight.”
If it wasn’t for the Iraqi army and people, ISIS would be on the doorstep of all countries in the region, the statement said.
Al-Abadi’s statement comes after Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa accused Iraq of training “terrorists” and sending materials and tools to his country, calling on the Iraqi government to address domestic problems instead of issuing statements about a person being tried in another.
Last Saturday, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry asked the Bahraini government to reconsider a court ruling to imprison Bahraini Secretary-General of Al-Wefaq Association Ali Salman arguing that “the judicial decision would complicate dealing with popular demands for political reforms”.
Last week a Bahraini court sentenced Salman to four years in prison on charges of “inciting unrest”.