DAMASCUS, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Syria's Foreign Ministry congratulated the Iraqi government on defeating the Islamic State (IS) in the Iraqi city of Mosul, according to state news agency SANA.
In a statement, the ministry hailed the recapture of Mosul as "a big victory," which will be a prelude to the collapse of the illusions of the backers of terrorists, whether those who armed, financed, harbored them.
Iraqi forces have liberated Mosul, the capital city of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh and the second largest Iraqi city, after a nine-month fierce battle to drive out IS, which had used the city as its de facto capital.
"This victory is for all those who believed that eliminating Daesh is a noble goal that deserves the sacrifice," the Syrian ministry said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.
It stressed that cooperation is ongoing between the Syrian and Iraqi forces to eradicate the remnants of IS, "because uniting our efforts is the main guarantee for making sure IS has no return in both countries."
As for Syria, the Syrian army started Monday the second stage of the "Great Dawn" battle against IS in the Syrian desert, capturing several areas and energy fields in eastern Homs countryside and the eastern countryside of the capital Damascus.
