Islamic State will be beaten, Hollande says in Iraq

Record ID: 162924

  • Title: Islamic State will be beaten, Hollande says in Iraq
  • Date: 2nd January 2017
  • Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 2, 2017) (AGENCY POOL) HOLLANDE AND ABADI ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, SAYING: "Daesh (Islamic State) is retreating. And Daesh will be beaten." IRAQI FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, SAYING: "As part of the coalition, France assists, advises, supports and takes action. Takes action with its planes, and also takes action with its artillery which allows Iraqi forces to penetrate Mosul. But we do that with one precaution, one requirement and that's the protection of the civilian population. And you yourself are personally very attached to that idea. That's the deal we have made because we want to liberate Mosul, eradicate terrorism but respect human rights." ABADI SPEAKING DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IRAQI PRIME MINISTER, HAIDER AL-ABADI, SAYING: "I invite the security forces and the Iraqi people to be alert, the terrorists are again attacking civilians. I promise the Iraqi people and the French president and all the countries suffering attacks by Islamic State, that we are fighting to end Islamic State." HOLLANDE AND ABADI SHAKING HANDS, LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 17th January 2017 16:19
  • Keywords: Iraq France Hollande Abadi visit blast Islamic State
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0025XE0SW7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3
    French President Francois Hollande vowed that Islamic State would be beaten after a meeting in Iraq with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Monday (January 2), as the militant group killed 24 people with a car bomb in a square in Baghdad.
    Iraqi forces backed by a coalition of countries including France are currently fighting to push Islamic State from the northern city of Mosul, its last major stronghold in the country, but are facing fierce resistance.
    "Daesh is retreating. And Daesh will be beaten," Hollande said using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State, adding that French military support in the march on Mosul was contingent on respect for the human rights of civilians.
    The meeting with Adabi happened as Islamic State detonated a bomb in the Sadr City district in an attack that killed 24 people.
    An online statement distributed by Amaq news agency, which supports the group, said the attack had targeted a gathering of Shi'ite Muslims, whom it considers apostates.
    "I invite the security forces and the Iraqi people to be alert, the terrorists are again attacking civilians. I promise the Iraqi people and the French president and all the countries suffering attacks by Islamic State, that we are fighting to end Islamic State," Abadi said.
  • Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register