Islamic State is losing a battle against forces arranged against it from many sides in Iraq and Syria, the US envoy to a coalition fighting the group has said.

The focus would turn to stabilising cities seized back from the militant group, Brett McGurk told a press conference in Baghdad.

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Mr McGurk declined to put a timeline on when the group would be defeated or when Mosul and Raqqa, the main cities under its control in Iraq and Syria respectively, would be retaken.

He spoke after meeting with Iraqi officials including Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi who said in December that 2016 would be a year of "final victory" over the group in Iraq.

"Daesh is feeling pressure now from all simultaneous directions and that's going to continue ... that's going to accelerate," Mr McGurk said at the press conference, using another name for IS.

"Daesh is losing; as they lose we focus increasingly on stabilization," he added, referring to plans being made to rehabilitate and police cities recaptured from militants.

The terrorist group has come under pressure from air raids and ground forces actions by various parties in both countries, but they still hold large tracts of land.

Mr McGurk had spent three days in Iraq, where he met with Prime Minister al-Abadi to discuss the next steps in the IS-held areas of Anbar and Mosul.

His comments came days after four suicide bombers infiltrated an army headquarters west of Baghdad, killing an Iraqi general and five other soldiers.

Reuters