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Iraqi Kurdistan Regional President Masoud Barzani said Monday he and Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Abadi have agreed to act jointly to counter Islamic State (ISIL) militants, Sputnik reports.

"We have agreed on joint actions to save Iraq from terrorism," Barzani said at a press conference in the city of Erbil.

The Iraqi leader said the parties had agreed on joint efforts to free the northern Nineveh Governorate and the city of Mosul.

Mosul was captured by ISIL militants in June 2014. According to US Central Command, Iraqi and Kurdish troops are expected to launch an operation to regain control of Mosul in April or May.

IS fighters in February destroyed many artifacts at a museum in the northern Iraqi city.

The ISIL is operating primarily in Iraq and Syria where the extremist group has managed to seize large areas and announce a caliphate on those territories.

The advance of Islamic State is being countered by efforts from Iraqi and Syrian government forces, as well as Kurdish troops and a US-led international coalition conducting airstrikes on ISIL positions.