Kurdish Peshmerga forces "will not retreat from areas retaken" from Daesh in Iraq, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Massoud Barzani said on Wednesday.

Barzani's comment appeared to indicate that Kurds are keen to expand their territory in northern Iraq to include surrounding villages and towns captured by them from Daesh.

Barzani said that the defense barrier which was built before the Mosul operation will remain as it is, from now on, according to the recent agreement made between the KRG and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Turkey reiterated its "red lines" in Iraq as any development leading to a change in Mosul's demographics and advancement of non-local groups entering Mosul which may lead to further conflicts in the region, emphasizing that it would do what is necessary if these lines are crossed.