Iraq, Syria discuss securing border as Islamic State retreats
Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi held talks on August 25 with visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem about securing their common border after a partial retreat by Islamic State militants.
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This year the jihadist group has lost about half the land it seized in 2014 and 2015 in Iraq but it remains in control of territory on both sides of the northwestern border with Syria.
Abadi is hoping to take back Mosul, the largest Iraqi city under Islamic State's control, effectively defeating the group in Iraq.
"Securing the common border was discussed as our heroic forces get close to the border with Syria," said a statement by the Iraqi government published after the talks in Baghdad.
