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France’s Holland starts official visit to Iraq

Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, left, greets French President Francois Hollande prior to their meeting in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. Hollande is in Iraq for a one-day visit. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)
Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, left, greets French President Francois Hollande prior to their meeting in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. Hollande is in Iraq for a one-day visit. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool) Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, left, greets French President Francois Hollande prior to their meeting in Baghdad, Iraq, Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. Hollande is in Iraq for a one-day visit. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool)

By Associated Press 2 min read

BAGHDAD (AP) – French President Francois Hollande arrived in Iraq on Monday amid a fierce fight against the Islamic State group.

During his one-day visit, Hollande is scheduled to meet with Iraqi President Fuad Masum and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in the capital, Baghdad. Later, he’ll travel to the country’s self-governing northern Kurdish region to meet French troops and local officials.

The visit comes as Iraqi troops, backed by a U.S.-led coalition, are fighting IS in a massive operation to retake the northern city of Mosul.

Iraqi state TV said Holland will discuss “increasing support to Iraq and the latest developments in the fight against Daesh,” the Arabic acronym for IS.

France is part of the U.S.-led international coalition formed in late 2014 to fight IS after the extremist group seized large areas in Iraq and neighboring Syria and declared an Islamic “caliphate.” France has suffered multiple terrorist attacks claimed by IS.