Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi has insisted that the international community must act to halt the flow of foreign fighters into his country.
"We want an end to the terrorist flow into Iraq and it is the responsibility of the international community," he said Monday in a joint press conference with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the Prime Ministry Office in the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
"There are some resolutions by the United Nations Security Council aimed to prevent entry of terrorists into a country, but they fail to block terrorists from entering Iraq," he said.
The prime minister highlighted the need to halt the terrorist influx from neighbor countries of the two war-ridden countries Syria and Iraq.
"Unfortunately, thousands of foreign fighters have come to Syria and Iraq, killed civilians and destroyed the infrastructure," he added.
He also argued that there were "war traders" who were dealing with Daesh in neighboring countries and trafficking historical artifacts and oil with the group.
- Battle in Tikrit
"We are fighting a final war against Daesh in Tikrit, our victory against terrorists in the city is soon," said Abadi, adding that they will move on to liberate Anbar and Mosul from Daesh after victory in Tikrit.
Tikrit is a Sunni-majority strategic city about 110 miles (180 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad where Iraqi security forces, backed by Shiite militia and Sunni tribal forces, have waged a ground offensive against Daesh since March 2 to recapture it.
The battle is seen as a critical test for Iraqi forces to seal off militants from their strongholds in northern Iraq, particularly in the city of Mosul.
"Daesh terrorists are constantly fleeing as they leave the places they are holding," he said.
- Yemen crisis
Abadi described the recent political and security crisis in Yemen which brought about a Saudi-led military offensive as a "civil strife" that has international repercussions.
"In our point of view, the problems in Yemen must be solved by Yemenis themselves so as to ward off a foreign intervention that may endanger not only Yemen but also the whole region," he said.
Yemen has been in turmoil since last September when the Houthi militants overran the capital Sanaa, from which they have sought to extend their influence to other parts of the country.
Saudi Arabia -- backed by several Arab allies -- launched Wednesday a military offensive called the "Operation Decisive Storm" including airstrikes against the Houthis, in response to appeals by embattled Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi to "save the people [of Yemen] from the Houthi militias."
