Erdogan, Abadi discuss fight against terror in phone call

In the phone call, the two leaders highlighted the importance of strengthening ties between the two countries and stressed that recent developments were pleasing for both sides.

Noting that fighting cooperatively against terror groups is crucial in the region, the two leaders said that they will not allow terror to destabilize the region.

Erdogan and Abadi also stated that Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım's planned meeting in Baghdad in January is a good opportunity to strengthen diplomatic ties.

Abadi said on Tuesday that the country's relations with Turkey were no longer strained and were back on track, also announcing that about three months were needed to remove Daesh from Iraq.

Earlier this year, Iraqi-Turkish relations had turned sour over who should take part in the planned Mosul assault against Daesh.

Iraq had said they perceived the Turkish military forces presence in the country as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and had called upon the Turkish authorities to withdraw those forces as soon as possible.

However, Turkey had stated that Turkish forces had initially been stationed at the Bashiqa camp to train the local forces in their fight against Daesh at the request of Abadi, himself.

About 150 soldiers and up to 25 tanks were stationed in Bashiqa to protect Turkish servicemen training Iraqi volunteers to fight Daesh since March 2015. Turkey had pointed out that the soldiers were not assigned to combat duties, and would do all it could to prevent the operation from deepening sectarian conflict on its borders.

Mosul, the largest city seized by Daesh anywhere across the once vast territory it controlled in Iraq and neighbouring Syria, has been held by the group since its fighters drove the U.S.-trained army out in June 2014.

Daily Sabah