US Vice President Joe Biden makes surprise visit to Iraq

Mr. Biden is the third senior US leader to visit Iraq this month, after Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.

Yesterday (April 28), US Vice President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Iraq to show support in the effort to defeat the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) militant group. Mr. Biden is the third high-ranking US leader to visit Iraq this month, after Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.

Mr. Biden's visit also takes place in the context of increasing political instability in Iraq. Photo: NBC News.

Biden’s visit also comes amid growing political instability in Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is pursuing government reforms to combat corruption, but is facing resistance. US leaders say political instability could distract Iraq from its efforts to retake areas controlled by IS.

US President Barack Obama announced earlier this week that he would send more troops to Iraq and Syria to train and support local forces fighting IS. The US goal in Iraq is to support the Iraqi army and Kurdish forces to retake Mosul by the end of this year. This is also the topic that Vice President Biden will discuss with Iraqi officials during this surprise visit.

The US withdrew its troops from Iraq in 2011 and maintains several thousand troops to help Iraq fight IS./.

According to VOV