US Presence in Iraq Necessary With ISIS Threat, Says Top Commander

Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, speaks with US troops (Reuters)
Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, speaks with US troops (Reuters)
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US Presence in Iraq Necessary With ISIS Threat, Says Top Commander

Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, speaks with US troops (Reuters)
Marine General Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, speaks with US troops (Reuters)

The next round of strategic dialogue between Iraq and the US will be headed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and President Donald Trump, after the first round ended last June, announced spokesman Ahmed Mulla Talal.

The talks aim to reactivate the security agreement signed between the two governments in 2008, however, Iran-affiliated armed groups in Iraq hope the dialogue would result in the "withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.”

Katyusha-rocket attacks on the US embassy in the Green Zone or military presence in Taji base were expected to be reduced, however, forces continued to launch missiles at an escalating rate even after the counter-terrorism unit arrested 14 persons, 13 of which were later released, during a raid on a site said to belong to an armed group.

Meanwhile, Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, who heads US Central Command, indicated that the US needs the assistance of the new Iraqi government.

McKenzie said the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq will begin once ISIS is terminated in the country, adding that it is not limited to the outputs of the dialogue.

The Washington Post quoted McKenzie as saying that Kadhimi is “negotiating a land mine now. I think we need to help him,” adding that the PM must find his way, and there will be “less-than-perfect solutions, which is nothing new in Iraq.”

The General admitted that the PM has taken significant steps to confront Iranian-linked militias that have targeted US troops, adding that Washington must remain patient as Kadhimi “challenges groups with formidable military and political clout.”

Speaking to reporters by phone after leaving Iraq, McKenzie voiced confidence the Iraqi government would ask US forces to stay in the country despite earlier calls for a withdrawal.

These developments came at a time when the US installed a new air defense system over its embassy building in the Green Zone, which proved effective during the recent missile attack.

The missile was intercepted and landed close to a bridge injuring a number of protesters.

Military advisor Safaa al-Assam stated that the US installed the C-RAM defense system in the embassy, used against drones and light and medium missiles, without the knowledge of the Iraqi government.

Assam explained that the US troops in the country now possess weapons and an air defense system that exceed the Iraqi army’s capabilities, especially in the field of air defense under the pretext of defending itself.

National Security Professor Hussein Allawi said that the ongoing dialogue between Washington and Baghdad is important for both countries.

Allawi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the aim of the talks is to establish an action road map on different tracks such as military, financial, defense, health, oil, and other fields of cooperation.

Allawi indicated that the Prime Minister will take into account the positions of all Iraqi forces, whether they support this dialogue and its outputs or reject it.



Sudan’s Paramilitary Unleashes Drones on Key Targets in Port Sudan

Smoke billows after a drone strike on the port of Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
Smoke billows after a drone strike on the port of Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
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Sudan’s Paramilitary Unleashes Drones on Key Targets in Port Sudan

Smoke billows after a drone strike on the port of Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
Smoke billows after a drone strike on the port of Port Sudan on May 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)

Sudan’s paramilitary unleashed drones on the Red Sea city of Port Sudan early Tuesday, hitting key targets there, including the airport, the port and a hotel, military officials said. The barrage was the second such attack this week on a city that had been a hub for people fleeing Sudan's two-year war.

There was no immediate word on casualties or the extent of damage. Local media reported loud sounds of explosions and fires at the port and the airport. Footage circulating online showed thick smoke rising over the area.

The attack on Port Sudan, which also serves as an interim seat for Sudan's military-allied government, underscores that after two years of fighting, the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces are still capable of threatening each other’s territory.

The RSF drones struck early in the morning, said two Sudanese military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

Abdel-Rahman al-Nour, a Port Sudan resident, said he woke up to strong explosions, and saw fires and plumes of black smoke rising over the port. Msha’ashir Ahmed, a local journalist living in Port Sudan, said fires were still burning late Tuesday morning in the southern vicinity of the maritime port.

The RSF did not release any statements on the attack. On Sunday, the paramilitary force struck Port Sudan for the first time in the war, disrupting air traffic in the city’s airport, which has been the main entry point for the county in the last two years.

A military ammunition warehouse in the Othman Daqna airbase in the city was also hit, setting off a fire that burned for two days.

When the fighting in Sudan broke out, the focus of the battles initially was the country's capital, Khartoum, which turned into a war zone. Within weeks, Port Sudan, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) to the east of Khartoum, turned into a safe haven for the displaced and those fleeing the war. Many aid missions and UN agencies moved their offices there.

The attacks on Port Sudan are also seen as retaliation after the Sudanese military earlier this month struck the Nyala airport in South Darfur, which the paramilitary RSF has turned into a base and where it gets shipments of arms, including drones.