World
Rubio warns of Iraq ‘Balkanisation’: Is that a real threat?
US secretary of state's warning comes after he and Trump met the Iraqi PM on the sidelines of the UNGA.
Al Jazeera•
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that Iraq risks “Balkanisation” unless its armed factions are brought under state control.
He made the remarks to reporters at the Palace Hotel in New York City on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, after meeting Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi Tuesday night.
Rubio said Washington had no doubt about al-Zaidi’s commitment to disarming Iraqi armed groups, but called it a massive and difficult challenge.
That deadline has since slipped; al-Zaidi told The New York Times that disarmament would now run until June 30, 2027.