U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced today, Monday, that its commander, General Michael Kurilla, concluded a 15-day tour two days ago, visiting 11 countries within the command's area of responsibility. During the tour, he met with heads of state, defense ministers, and senior military officials.

In a statement, CENTCOM said Kurilla's trip spanned from July 20 to August 2 and included visits to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Pakistan, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, and the Occupied Territories.

The command noted that during these visits, Pakistan co-hosted the Central and South Asia Chiefs of Defense Conference, which brought together defense chiefs and military leaders from Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the United States. The event focused on regional security cooperation under the theme "Strengthening Ties, Security, and Peace."

CENTCOM also reported that Kurilla oversaw the change of command between leaders of the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) in Iraq, reaffirming that the 87-nation Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (D-ISIS) remains one of the world’s most successful military alliances.

In a statement included in the release, Kurilla expressed renewed optimism, saying:
"I return from this trip with a strengthened belief in our shared commitment and vision for regional stability, as well as the strategic opportunities ahead with our partner nations."