AMMAN: Germany will continue to participate in the battle against Daesh militant group, even after the extremists suffered territorial losses, the German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday as she visited German troops at a Jordanian air base.

The German contingent has been stationed since October at the Azraq air base in northern Jordan from where German aircraft have been flying reconnaissance and refueling missions as part of the international military campaign against Daesh.

Ursula said on Saturday that the fight against the militants would continue, in part to ensure they don’t take root in rear positions.

The international community faces continued challenges, including stabilising the region in the long term, said the minister, who was accompanied by a group of German parliamentarians.

“It’s important to me that Germany give assurances that we are reliable,” she said.

Four German reconnaissance planes and a refueling aircraft fly missions from Azraq, with an average of 280 German troops stationed there.

The contingent was initially stationed in Turkey, but moved to Jordan after Turkey repeatedly barred German parliamentarians from visiting the troops.

Jordan, which borders former Daesh strongholds in neighboring Syria and Iraq, has been a key ally in the US-led campaign.

In recent months, the Daesh  militant group has lost large swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq, raising questions about the future scope of the anti-Daesh mission.

Last month, Britain’s Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson has warned that dangers from the Daesh group are “far from over” despite its defeat in Iraq.

Williamson says the fight now “enters a new phase” and expressed his government’s commitment to continue working with the US-led coalition to hunt down remaining Daesh militants in Syria and elsewhere.

Last month, Iraq declared the defeat of Daesh after more than three years of fierce fighting against the extremists in northern and western Iraq.

Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi declared victory saying, “our forces are in complete control of the Iraqi-Syrian border and I therefore announce the end of the war against Daesh.”