“We will continue to support, Iraq,” Macron said at a news conference in Baghdad with his Iraqi counterpart Barham Salih, Reuters reported.

French officials have said Paris is concerned by a resurgence in Iraq of ISIS, which is profiting from political uncertainty.

ISIS, which once occupied a third of Iraq’s territory, has been largely defeated there but continues to carry out ambushes, assassinations and bombings.

Macron said the war against ISIS isn’t finished. “We will continue to act alongside you.”

“The second challenge is the one of the multiple foreign interferences that have been going on for several years.”

Salih said Iraq should not become a battleground for proxy conflicts between other states.

“Iraq is a sovereign state that wants balanced relations with all its neighbors,” said Salih.

“We do not want Iraq to be a battleground for the conflicts of others, we want others to participate in achieving stability in Iraq and respecting its sovereignty.”

Macron’s visit is the first by a Western leader to Iraq since Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi took office in May, becoming the third head of government in a chaotic 10-week period that followed months of deadly protests.

Kadhimi was selected by Parliament in May to head a government that would guide the country toward early elections and has called for one to be held in June 2021.

Early elections are a main demand of anti-government protesters who staged months of mass demonstrations last year.

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