ABU DHABI: US forces will stay in Iraq “as long as needed” to help stabilize regions previously controlled by Daesh, a spokesman for the US-led international coalition fighting the militants said on Sunday.

“We’ll keep troops there as long as we think they’re needed ... The main reason, after Daesh is defeated militarily is the stabilization efforts and we still need to be there for that, so that’s one of the reasons we’ll maintain a presence,” Col. Sean Ryan told a news conference in Abu Dhabi.