BAGHDAD
France plans to support Iraq with warplanes in the struggle against Islamic State-led militants, French President Francois Hollande said on Friday.
In a joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi held in Baghdad, Hollande said that everything must be done to bring to an end the terror that threatens Iraq.
Hollande was accompanied by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
Hollande said that France is the European country which helps Iraq the most, and that such support at the highest level will continue. The French president said that he is working to ensure the biggest coalition possible in the battle against Islamic State, previously known as Islamic State of Iraq and Levant.
Prime Minister al-Abadi said that “it is our responsibility to end the terror, but the international community must also give its help.”
“IS is a big terror organization”, al-Abadi said. “The neighboring states must take serious measures to prevent people participating in this organization.”
The U.S. is trying to form a broad international coalition to fight Islamic State, an organization which controls swathes of northern Iraq and Syria.
Ten Arab states signed a joint communique in the western Saudi city of Jeddah on Thursday to fight IS, pledging to take action to stop the flow of foreign fighters joining the group.
Turkey, which also participated in the meeting in Jeddah, has refrained from signing the joint declaration.
www.aa.com.tr/en
