Beirut, July 10 (IANS): The Syrian government on Monday said it stands in solidarity with Iraq to eliminate what is left of the Islamic State terror group in both countries.

In a statement, published by the Syrian official news agency SANA, the Syrian Foreign Ministry congratulated the government and the people of Iraq for the "great victory achieved by the Iraqi Army and Popular Mobilisation Units" in Mosul against IS.

The statement said Damascus is going ahead, alongside Baghdad, "to eradicate what remains" of IS because the "mobilisation of the joint efforts of the two countries is the main factor to guarantee that IS or any other form of terrorism will not return to these two countries or any other part of the region".

The collapse of IS in Mosul is only the beginning of the elimination of terrorists and those who provide them with support, according to the statement cited by Efe news.

The Foreign Ministry also said that the blood of the martyrs and the suffering of the wounded will not be wasted and will be great inspiration for everyone in order to defeat what remains of IS in Iraq and Syria.

The total liberation of Mosul is about to take place and on Sunday the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi congratulated the Iraqi people for the "great victory achieved" against the radicals, after arriving in the city.

However, extremists are still holding ground in a small area of the old city, the last stronghold of the IS in Mosul.