Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) visited Jordan and Iraq.

As a spokesman announced, she met German soldiers in Baghdad on Sunday to find out about the Bundeswehr mission there.

She also spoke to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kasimi and Iraqi Defense Minister Juma Inad.

The background to this is a possible extension of the mandate for the deployment of the Bundeswehr in the region, which expires at the end of January.

The Bundeswehr has been supporting the American-led anti-IS coalition since 2015. In total, Germany is currently involved with around 240 soldiers in operations in Jordan, Iraq and via Syria. Lambrecht said on Sunday in Erbil, northern Iraq, that the fight against the terrorist militia Islamic State had not yet been won. The traffic light coalition agreed to review all Bundeswehr missions for their goals. "We will do that now with regard to our mandate in Iraq and also in Jordan," said Lambrecht.

In Jordan, the minister visited the Al-Asrak air base on Saturday.

In Al-Asrak, the Bundeswehr is supporting the anti-IS coalition by refueling in the air.

Lambrecht received first-hand information during the visit, the Ministry of Defense said on Twitter.

For the minister, the focus was also on a "personal exchange and open conversation with the soldiers".

Lambrecht got a picture of the focus of the "Counter Daesh" operation at the Al-Asrak air force base, the ministry said.

Around 150 German soldiers are deployed there.

The American-led international anti-IS coalition was formed to combat IS. In 2014, IS had conquered parts of the Jordanian neighbors Iraq and Syria. After the military victory over the so-called caliphate established by IS in 2016, the terrorist militia remained active in Iraq and various other countries.

In Amman on Saturday, Lambrecht met the Jordanian King Abdullah II, Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi and Prime Minister and Defense Minister So far al-Chasawneh. The conversation was about "the security situation in the region and German-Jordanian cooperation".

Berlin described Jordan as an “essential anchor of stability in the region”.

In the conversation with al-Safadi, Lambrecht discussed "the challenges in the Middle East" and exchanged views with the minister about "how the already intensive cooperation between our countries can be further developed".