Iraq says it has reached a deal on intelligence and security cooperation with Russia, Iran and Syria to counter the ISIL terrorists’ threat.

Iraq says it has reached a deal on intelligence and security cooperation with Russia, Iran and Syria to counter the ISIL terrorists’ threat.

The announcement on Saturday from the Iraqi military's joint operations command cited "the increasing concern from Russia about thousands of Russian terrorists committing criminal acts within ISIL."

Russian news agency Interfax quoted a military diplomatic source in Moscow as saying the Baghdad coordination center would be led on a rotating basis by officers of the four countries, starting with Iraq.

The source added a committee might be created in Baghdad to plan military operations and control armed forces units in the fight against Islamic State.

The Russian defense ministry declined to comment on the reports.

Since the summer of 2014, Iraq has been grappling with deadly militancy across its territory, with ISIL now controlling some areas in the west and north of the country but are confronted by the Iraqi army and other volunteering groups.