Prime Minister Abadi: Iraq will continue fight against ISIL in Syria

Iraq will continue targeted fight against ISIL in Syria, as well as in neighboring countries if they approve, said Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Wednesday, reports Patria.

- I respect the sovereignty of countries, therefore I sought Syria's approval to target positions on its territory, the Prime Minister explained at a conference in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah.

Reuters writes that Abadi already announced the first airstrike by Iraqi forces within Syrian territory on February 24, targeting ISIL positions in response to the militants' bombing attack in Baghdad.

- I will not hesitate to strike terrorist positions in neighboring countries, we will continue to fight them, says Abadi.

He also stated that the total material damage caused by ISIL to property and infrastructure amounts to about 35 billion US dollars.

This hardline group has lost most of the Iraqi cities it occupied in the north and west of Iraq during 2014 and 2015, and is currently trying to resist the fierce offensive of Iraqi forces, supported by the US military, in its last stronghold in Iraq, Mosul.