ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares on Wednesday co-chaired a sixth ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Founded in June 2019, the group brings together dozens of member states and observers with the aim of devising an approach to protect the human rights of terrorism victims and advocate for their needs.

During the meeting, Hussein emphasized “Iraq’s firm position in supporting victims of terrorism and achieving justice for them. He noted that since the establishment of the Group … Iraq has continued to lead international efforts in this field," read a statement by the Iraqi foreign ministry.

The Iraqi foreign minister underlined that Baghdad is currently seeking to enhance its counter-terrorism strategy for the period of 2026-2030, through "confronting extremist ideology, drying up sources of terrorist financing, and combating associated organized crime."

The group consists of at least 36 countries, including the two co-chairs, the US, the UK, Israel, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Egypt, and Qatar. It also includes the European Union (EU), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT), and the United Nations Office against Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

In 2014, the Islamic State (ISIS) took over large swathes of Iraqi and Syrian territory, announcing its self-proclaimed caliphate with the Iraqi city of Mosul as its capital. The group, widely designated as a terrorist organization, was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017 with assistance from the US-led coalition forces.

ISIS militants continue to pose a security threat in Iraq to this day, through sporadic hit-and-run operations and attacks on remote areas. Iraqi forces, in cooperation with Kurdish forces, have intensified their efforts to eliminate these remnants.

The Iraqi foreign minister reaffirmed Iraq's readiness to host the 2026 meeting of the group in Baghdad, while reiterating his country's "continued commitment" to combating terrorism and building a "safer, more just, and more stable future for all peoples." 

In 2024, Iraqi security forces arrested over 500 terror suspects, according to data from the Iraqi National Security Service.