PM: 40 Foreign Suicide Bombers A Month Enter Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi on June 2 in Paris

Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said on June 15 that about 40 foreign suicide bombers enter Iraq each month, and called for countries in the region to curb the flow of foreign fighters.

Suicide bombers are one of the deadliest weapons of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, which deploys them in explosives-packed vehicles to breach Iraqi defenses or cause mass civilian casualties in crowded areas.

Abadi, in televised remarks, also said that the number of foreign fighters in Iraq is now higher than the number of Iraqi militants.

He said there are suicide bombers "from every country" in the region, adding, "That is a problem to be addressed by these countries."

IS launched an offensive last year in June that overran large parts of Iraq, including swaths of its border with Syria where the group also holds significant territory, making it easy for fighters to enter the country.

Based on reporting by AFP and Reuters