US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter arrived in Baghdad on Saturday to review the six-day-old offensive to retake Mosul, the Islamic State group’s last major stronghold in Iraq.
He will meet commanders from the 60-nation coalition which is led by the United States and assists Iraqi forces in their drive against the jehadists.
Carter is also due to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al- Abadi and is expected to discuss Baghdad’s objections to Turkish involvement in the Mosul operations.
The Pentagon chief was also expected to discuss the post- ISIS future of Mosul, Iraq’s second city and the place where jihadist supremo Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi proclaimed the caliphate in June 2014.