(VOVworld) - Defense Ministers of countries involved in the US-led coalition against IS gathered in Paris on Tuesday to discuss the next steps now that coalition forces are tightly besieging Mosul city, the  last major IS stronghold in Iraq.

French Defense Minister Jean Yves Le Drian (AFP/VNA)

French President Francois Hollande said at the conference that retaking Mosul is important for Iraq and the region politically. He asked the coalition to prevent IS gunmen from heading to Raqqa. The Ministers agreed that more intelligence information sharing is needed.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said after the conference that the coalition is planning to isolate Raqqa and liberate it from the IS. The key forces participating in this plan are the opposition groups in Syria. Carter said Raqqa can only be liberated by local people, adding that this campaign should be combined with the Mosul campaign to prevent IS militants from simply fleeing from Mosul to Raqqa.