CAIRO, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Arab League (AL) Chief Ahmad Abul Gheit stressed on Monday the importance of proceeding with military efforts to uproot the Islamic State (IS), according to AL statement.
Congratulating the Iraqi Armed Forces for its key achievement of liberating Mosul from IS, Abul Gheit deemed the victory on the militant group as "an important and decisive step."
He added that the unity of the Iraqi people, government and army was significant to eliminate the terrorist gangs.
Mosul, the capital city of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh and the second largest city in the country, has been completely liberated from IS that has suffered 266 days of violent battles that ended up the violent groups after nearly three years of control.
Mosul had been taken as the de facto capital of the IS.
It was in Mosul that IS leader Sheikh Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared in 2014 the establishment of Islamic State, a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. The fall of Mosul symbolizes the total collapse of IS in Iraq.
The AL's chief reiterated the victory would be a step towards the stability in Iraq, and integration and solidarity of all the society segments in a way that provide rights for all citizens with no discrimination.
He added the fight against IS would be "long" and the victory isn't the end, and the military efforts should be resumed to uproot the group from all the Arab territories.
