TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts has finished a two-day tour of Iraq and says he’s seeing signs of progress in the fight there against Islamic State militants.

Roberts said Sunday that he left Thursday for his tour of Kuwait and Iraq “expecting the worst.” He went to visit American troops in advisory and training roles, including about 400 from the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, headquartered at Fort Riley.

The Republican senator told The Associated Press that he believes the situation in Iraq has changed dramatically since the summer, when the Islamic State group captured control of parts of northern and western Iraq.

He met Saturday with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and said al-Abadi has improved his military’s leadership and worked to unify Islamic groups in the past 100 days.