BAGHDAD

An Iraqi pro-government Shia militia said Saturday its forces will remain in Iraq and will not cross border into Syria to fight Daesh militants.

“The Hashd al-Shaabi…will have a role in maintaining security along border with Syria, preventing the infiltration of terrorists and maintaining the country’s security,” Ahmed al-Assadi, a spokesman for the Shia militia, told Anadolu Agency.

“Our forces, whether the army or the Hashd al-Shaabi, will remain inside Iraq to protect border and will not cross into Syria,” he said.

The spokesman said that his militia will abide by all orders given by Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi.

In October, al-Assadi said his forces might find themselves forced to chase Daesh militants inside Syrian territories with a view to protecting Iraqi border.

Established in 2014, Hashd al-Shaabi is an umbrella group of pro-government Shia militias formed for the express purpose of fighting Daesh.

The militia is estimated to include more than 150,000 fighters.

In November, the Iraqi parliament voted to recognize the Shia militia as an official force.

Reporting by Muayid Tarafi; Writing by Mahmoud Barakat