"In my opinion, let's solve the problem of Idlib first and then seek a political solution in Syria," Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Alhakim said on Thursday at the Mediterranean Dialogues (MED) forum in Rome.
According to the minister, the existence of 30,000 militants in Idlib from different countries, including Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and European states, constitutes a problem.
READ MORE: Syrian Troops Establish Control Over Last Daesh Stronghold in Country's South
The province of Idlib in northwest Syria is the last remaining stronghold of terrorist groups operating in the country, including Jabhat al-Nusra*, which has joined forces with four other jihadi groups in Idlib to form a terrorist alliance called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham*, widely regarded as the dominant force on the ground in the province.
*Jabhat al-Nusra and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are terrorist groups outlawed in Russia