Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi postponed a planned visit to China due to security developments and the need to follow up on a wide-ranging reform drive, his office said.

Abadi "decided to postpone his visit to China, which was scheduled for the 19th of this month, until further notice," his office said in a statement released late on Monday.

The decision was made "as a result of developments in the security situation" and due to "operations to liberate Anbar and operations in other sectors including Baiji, in addition to the reform package launched" by Abadi, it said.

Iraqi security forces are battling to regain ground from the Islamic State jihadist group in Anbar province, west of Baghdad, and the Baiji area, to its north.

Abadi rolled out a reform plan on August 9 aimed at curbing corruption and streamlining the government in response to weeks of protests and a call for drastic change from the country's top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

In the first concrete step of the drive, the premier's office announced Sunday that he had scrapped a third of the cabinet posts.

Iraq has significant economic ties with China, especially in the oil sector, on which Baghdad is almost entirely reliant for revenue.

DynCorp International to provide tech support to Iraqi Army
Mclean, Va. (UPI) Aug 18, 2015 –

DynCorp International is to provide technical support services to the Iraqi Army in Taji, Iraq, under a contract from the U.S. Army Contracting Command.

The award is a fixed-fee contract has a one-year base period and two one-year options. The base period of performance is worth $45.5 million; the total award has a potential value of $139.3 million.

"We have proudly served alongside U.S. forces in Iraq since 2003," said Randy Bockenstedt, DynLogistics senior vice president, DynCorp International. "We are honored to be able to provide these multi-platform vehicle support services to help advise and assist the Iraqi Army at this important time in their continuing development."

DI said that under the contract it will help increase the competence of Iraqi Army vehicle maintenance and repair personnel through instruction on the proper techniques and procedures to perform their mission.

No additional details were provided.

Taji is located about 20 miles north of Baghdad. It was an Iraqi military base during the regime of Saddam Hussein that was later used by the U.S. military.

Dubai's Emirates Airline to resume flights to Baghdad
Dubai (AFP) Aug 18, 2015 –

Dubai's Emirates Airline said Tuesday it will resume passenger flights to the Iraqi capital in September, months after they were suspended over safety concerns.

Emirates will operate four weekly flights from Dubai to Baghdad, served by an A330-200 aircraft starting from September 17, the carrier said in a statement published by the UAE's official WAM news agency.

"After conducting an exhaustive safety and security review, we have decided to restart services between Dubai and Baghdad," said Sheikh Majid al-Mualla, a company vice president.

In January, Emirates was among several carriers to suspend flights to Baghdad after a bullet hit the fuselage of a flydubai airliner, its sister no-frills firm, on its descent in the capital. A young girl was lightly wounded in the incident.

Many have since resumed the flights, including Turkish Airlines and Lebanon's Middle East Airlines.

Airlines flying over Iraq had feared that jihadists from the Islamic State group might acquire weapons able to hit cruising airliners.

Iraqi security forces are battling to regain ground from IS in Anbar province, west of Baghdad.

Baghdad International Airport is located near the border with Anbar.

Emirates operates four weekly services to Iraq's northern city of Arbil and a twice-daily service to Basra in the south.

"We want to continue to support the development of economic opportunities in Baghdad by increasing access to international markets and inward investment," Mualla said.