High-level military visit strengthens Iraqi-Pakistani naval collaboration
Shafaq News / The Iraqi Army Chief of Staff announced on Friday that Rear Admiral Mazen Abdulwahid Kabyan, Commander of the Naval Forces, received Brigadier General Atiqur Rahman, Commander of the 18th Destroyer Squadron of Pakistan, along with three ships, two of which were warships and the third a minesweeper, in the largest military visit witnessed by the country.
Brigadier General Atiqur Rahman was accompanied by the Pakistani Ambassador Ahmed Amjad Ali, and Brigadier General Muhammad Wasay Ud Din, the Pakistani military attache in Iraq, along with 297 Pakistani Navy officers and ranks aboard two missile patrol boats and a minesweeper at the headquarters of the Umm Qasr Naval Base. This event was attended by the Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces and the Commander of Umm Qasr Naval Base, as well as several senior officers.
The Iraqi Army Chief of Staff stated today that this military visit is considered the largest for Iraq and the second by the Pakistani military. During the visit, both sides discussed the nature of their mutual cooperation and the exchange of experiences between the two navies. They emphasized the importance of communication and support provided to the military institution in the fields of training and armament, serving the interests of both parties.
As part of the visit's itinerary, the delegation made a trip to the Arab Gulf Academy for Maritime Studies, where they were received by the academy's president. The delegation conducted an in-depth tour of the academy's various departments, expressing appreciation for the role played by the Iraqi Naval Forces in safeguarding Iraqi territorial waters.
Concluding the visit, the Pakistani delegation extended their gratitude to the Iraqi Navy for the warm reception and hospitality they received. The mission's commander, reflecting on his 31 years of service in the Pakistani Army, praised the exceptional reception, welcome, and well-organized protocols provided by the Iraqi Navy.
