(VOVworld) - Iraq and Turkey have pledged to join forces to fight Islamic State (IS) militants who are seizing large areas of Iraq and Syria.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi meets with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential palace in Ankara on Thursday. (Photo: reuters)

Speaking at a joint news conference Thursday with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said the IS threatens not only Iraq’s and Turkey’s security but the entire region, adding that Iraq and Turkey can defeat the organization only by uniting powers, with the support of other regional countries. Al-Abadi said Turkey is open to any idea to give further support to Baghdad, including training Iraqi Kurdish fighters to combat the IS.