BAGHDAD — Iraq’s military said Sunday it will begin sharing “security and intelligence” information with Syria, Russia and Iran to help combat the Islamic State group, a move that could further complicate U.S. efforts to battle the extremists without working with Damascus and its allies.
A statement issued by the Joint Operations Command said the countries will “help and cooperate in collecting information about the terrorist Daesh group,” using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group.
Iraq has long had close ties with neighboring Iran and has coordinated with Tehran in fighting the Islamic State group — which controls about a third of Iraq and Syria in a self-declared caliphate. Iran has sent military advisers to Iraq and worked closely with Shiite militias battling the group.
A U.S.-led coalition has meanwhile been conducting airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria as well as training and advising Iraqi forces, but U.S. officials insist they are not coordinating their efforts with Iran.
