Barack Obama to meet with Iraqi prime minister in April

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama will meet Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi at the White House on April 14 to discuss a range of issues, including the military campaign against the Islamic State.

"The prime minister's visit underscores the strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq and the strong US commitment to political and military cooperation with Iraq in the joint fight against ISIL," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.

"The President and Prime Minister will discuss a range of issues, including continued US support to Iraq to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL, the Government of Iraq's actions to address the needs of the Iraqi people and to strengthen cooperation between all communities in Iraq, and advancing a broad US-Iraqi partnership through expanded political, commercial, and cultural relations under the US -Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement," Earnest said.

It will be Abadi's first trip to the US since becoming prime minister last August. Abadi came to power just as the US and its international partners began an air campaign against the Islamic State terrorist organisation.

After invading and occupying Iraq between 2003 to 2011, US troops withdrew but about 2,600 have returned to help counter IS militants.