Baghdad, Aug 22 (IANS): US Secretary of Defence James Mattis arrived in Iraq on Tuesday on a surprise visit.
Mattis was greeted by the Commander of the Combined Joint Task Force, Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend and US Ambassador Douglas Silliman at the Baghdad Airport, reports CNN.
Mattis will first meet with US commanders on the ground before meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defence Minister Erfan al-Hiyali.
The visit comes as the Iraqi armed forces are trying to retake the city of Tal Afar which was seized by the Islamic State terror group in 2014.