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US, Iraq Reaffirm Continued Security Cooperation

US soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq (Reuters)
US soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq (Reuters)
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US, Iraq Reaffirm Continued Security Cooperation

US soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq (Reuters)
US soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq (Reuters)

While Washington and Baghdad failed in specifying a date for US forces exiting Iraq, the two countries were able to focus on key issues like healthcare, investment, security, energy, education and counterterrorism during their third round of strategic dialogue.

In a joint statement on the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue released by the US State Department, both Washington and Baghdad reaffirmed the principles agreed upon by the two countries in the Strategic Framework Agreement (SFA), which was signed in 2008.

“The US reaffirmed its respect for Iraq’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and relevant decisions of the Iraqi legislative and executive authorities,” read the statement.

It also said that the Iraqi delegation included representatives of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and was led by Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, while the US delegation was led by State Secretary Anthony Blinken.

In the security and counterterrorism discussion, the US and Iraq reiterated their mutual intention to continue bilateral security coordination and cooperation and stressed that US forces are in Iraq at the invitation of Iraqi Government to support the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) in their fight against ISIS.

The two sides “reaffirmed their mutual intention to continue bilateral security coordination and cooperation,” stressing that the redeployment of the US and coalition forces is based on "the increasing capacity of the Iraqi forces.”

“The mission of US and coalition forces has now transitioned to one focused on training and advisory tasks, thereby allowing for the redeployment of any remaining combat forces from Iraq, with the timing to be established in upcoming technical talks,” the statement added.

“The transition of US and other international forces away from combat operations to training, equipping, and assisting the ISF reflects the success of their strategic partnership and ensures support to the ISF’s continued efforts to ensure ISIS can never again threaten Iraq’s stability.”

The Iraqi government in turn committed to protecting the international coalition personnel, convoys, and diplomatic facilities, it said, adding that the two sides emphasized that the current military bases, on which US and coalition personnel are present, are Iraqi bases and their presence is only for supporting Iraq's efforts in the fight against ISIS.

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Gulf

Etidal, Telegram Remove 30 Million Extremist Posts in Q2 2025

Etidal signals Saudi Arabia’s resolve to combat terrorism on all fronts (Etidal)
Etidal signals Saudi Arabia’s resolve to combat terrorism on all fronts (Etidal)
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Etidal, Telegram Remove 30 Million Extremist Posts in Q2 2025

Etidal signals Saudi Arabia’s resolve to combat terrorism on all fronts (Etidal)
Etidal signals Saudi Arabia’s resolve to combat terrorism on all fronts (Etidal)

Saudi Arabia’s Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology, known as Etidal, said on Monday that its joint efforts with Telegram led to the removal of more than 30.8 million pieces of extremist content and the shutdown of over 1,200 extremist channels during the second quarter of 2025.

The operation, carried out in April, May and June, is part of ongoing cooperation between the Riyadh-based center and the messaging platform to curb what both describe as “digital extremism.”

According to information seen by Asharq Al-Awsat, total removals since the partnership began in February 2022 have surpassed 207.6 million extremist items, with 17,455 channels and groups shut down.

Both parties say the collaboration reflects a continued commitment to creating a safer online environment and tackling radical propaganda.

The bulk of the removals came in June 2025, when around 18 million extremist items were taken down and 643 channels closed. In April, about 1.2 million posts were removed and 110 channels shut, while May saw 11.6 million removals and 501 closures.

These posts reportedly included messages promoting violence, hatred, and radical ideologies.

Telegram, which has long faced scrutiny over its use by extremist groups, said in a July update on its website that it has had a “zero tolerance policy for calls to violence and terrorist propaganda since 2016.” The platform publishes daily transparency reports and said its efforts to tackle extremist ideologies had been significantly bolstered through its partnership with Etidal.

It added that more than 100 million terrorism-related posts had been removed in cooperation with Etidal alone, with a peak in February 2025, when 3,851 groups were blocked in a single day.

Telegram also revealed that more than 134,000 terrorism-linked groups have been banned so far this year.

In the first quarter of 2025, the Etidal-Telegram partnership removed 16 million extremist posts and shut down 1,408 channels linked to extremist groups.

Etidal and Telegram expanded their joint operations on February 21, 2022, focusing on preventing extremist propaganda from reaching digital audiences.

The center said it remains committed to working with regional and international partners to develop advanced tools to counter evolving tactics used by radical groups.

Despite ongoing removals, Etidal warned that terrorist organizations continue to use redirect links and evasion tactics to bypass digital monitoring. In the first quarter alone, more than 1.2 million such links were identified and taken down.

Dr. Yousef Al-Rumeih, a security adviser and professor of counterterrorism at Qassim University, told Asharq Al-Awsat that recent months had seen renewed online activity by extremist groups. He called for greater digital and cybersecurity awareness, especially among youth, to counter their influence.

He stressed the importance of three layers of protection—official cybersecurity surveillance, community and family-level monitoring, and individual vigilance—to confront extremist messaging. “Reporting suspicious links to authorities is key to limiting their reach,” he said.

Founded in May 2017 by Saudi King Salman in the presence of US President Donald Trump and leaders from 55 nations, Etidal has spent eight years spearheading efforts to counter radical ideologies.

The center says it has prevented millions of extremist posts and links from reaching the public and shared its expertise with over 78 countries through international cooperation and technical visits to its Riyadh headquarters.