French president in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi leaders

French President Francois Hollande (L) walks with Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari (R) after arriving at Baghdad Airport in Baghdad September 12, 2014. Hollande said in Baghdad on Friday he would discuss humanitarian aid and military support for Iraq's fight against Islamic State insurgents, ahead of a Paris meeting on Monday of opponents of the militant group. [Photo/Agencies]

BAGHDAD - French President Francois Hollande arrived in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Friday for talks with Iraqi leaders and confirms his support to Iraq against terrorism, an official television reported.

While in Baghdad, Hollande will meet with top Iraqi officials, including President Fuad Masoum, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and the Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jubouri, to discuss holding an international peace conference in Paris against the Islamic State militant group, an al-Qaida offshoot, the state-run Iraqiya channel said.

Hollande is also expected to visit Arbil, capital of the semi- autonomous region of Kurdistan to meet with the Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, according to local media reports.

Iraq is witnessing a worsening security condition that began in June when armed Sunni insurgents, spearheaded by an al-Qaida splinter group the Islamic State, launched a surprise offensive that led to the debacle of Iraqi security forces, and the fallen of a large part of the country's northern and western territories.