BAGHDAD — Iraq’s prime minister strongly rejected the idea of the U.S. or other nations sending ground forces to his country to help fight the Islamic State group, saying today that foreign troops are “out of the question.”

In his first interview with foreign media since taking office on Sept. 8, Haider al-Abadi told The Associated Press that the U.S. aerial campaign targeting the militants who have overrun much of northern and western Iraq has helped efforts to roll back the Sunni extremists.

He also urged the international community to go after the group in neighboring Syria, saying the battle will prove endless unless the militants are wiped out there as well.

The U.S. is trying to line up an international coalition to defeat the Islamic State group, which has carved out a proto-state spanning the Syria-Iraq border.

Al-Abadi welcomed the emerging international effort, but stressed that he sees no need for other nations to send troops to help fight the Islamic State.

“Not only is it not necessary,” he said, “We don’t want them. We won’t allow them. Full stop.”

He said, “The only contribution the American forces or the international coalition is going to help us with is from the sky. We are not giving any blank check to the international coalition to hit any target in Iraq.”