Security Adviser of Iraq: "It seems to me as if the whole story of the Americans is wrong"

SPIEGEL ONLINE: The US government claims that the victory against the fighters of the "Islamic state" is only a matter of "hours". Can you confirm that?

Al-Fayad: No, it is not possible to explain such a victory. In our action against the IS, we have always had the experience that we only drive out the terrorists, not defeating them in the strict sense.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How is that to be understood?

Al Fayad: For example, we advanced against IS fighters at a section of the Iraqi-Syrian border in the Anbar Desert. At that time, 20,000 people fled the region there. I am convinced that among these 20,000 were also many IS people who have simply withdrawn to other areas. In other major operations, in Mosul, for example, at the end of battles we sometimes found very few killed enemies, others had fled to other areas.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: But is there still any significant retreat for IS people in Syria?

Al Fayad: Yes, they still exist. The city of Idlib is full of IS fighters who still dominate the entire region. They are also in other Syrian cities, in smaller towns, that is not controllable. In Idlib, all foreign IS fighters who are left are now all those who came from Germany, France or Britain.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What will happen to these fighters without the prospect of an "Islamic state"?

Al Fayad: We fear that ISIS people could become the next generation of a new Al Qaeda movement. According to our findings, a new underground movement is emerging, but there are many indicators and indicators. This will be a new threat to the whole world, including Germany.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What effect does it have on you if US Vice President Mike Pence at the Munich Security Conference brands your neighboring country Iran as a haven of terror?

Al Fayad: I honestly do not know what we are talking about. Iraq and Iran are deeply connected by their history and the religious sites in our country. As neighbors we have to work on friendly relations. Iran was also the only country that helped us when IS surfaced. It seems to me that the whole story of the Americans is wrong. In our region, at least, few believe it. I have the impression that the Europeans are not following the Americans either.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Does today's Iraq have a sufficient security apparatus to deal with the chronic security problems?

Al Fayad: Yes, that's the way it is. Not everything is perfect, but the police and military have been well organized and the militias under the roof of the state. I also have bad news for all jihadists: they no longer have a society to welcome them to. And we will never again let ourselves be driven into ethnic-religious conflicts. That's over forever.