Global coalition forces extends support to Iraq and Syria to fight off ISIS militants
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Alaina
- . March 31, 2021
- . Update: March 31, 2021 7:26 pm
In a move to support Iraqi and Syrian government’s fight against ISIS forces, the global coalition, including US and major world powers, has planned to launch a massive campaign to root out the terrorist operatives. As per inside sources, the extremist group has been trying to re-establish its control over once-liberated areas, with an aim to turn them into its new stronghold.
On Tuesday, the foreign ministers of all the nations, who form part of the global coalition, held a virtual meeting to discuss the rising threat from the terror group as the authorities reported increase in the activities of the group’s fighters. During the joint communique, the ministers said that they “took note of the resumption in Daesh/ISIS activities in areas where the Coalition is not active.” The coalition members assured that they would provide the required training, supplies and funds to support security forces in Iraq and Syria in their mission to combat ISIS forces.
The joint statement issued by the coalition nations said, “The ministers expressed their condolences and reiterated their support to Iraqi authorities following the increased Daesh/ISIS activity in Iraq and Syria in recent months, including the double suicide attacks in Baghdad on January 21, and called for continued and co-ordinated action.”
It added, “This includes allocating adequate military and civilian resources to sustain coalition and legitimate partner forces’ efforts against Daesh/ISIS in Iraq and Syria, including stabilisation support to liberated areas, to safeguard Iraq and Syria’s stability and our collective security interests.”
Besides the coalition nations, the NATO forces also committed to extend its support by expanding its training mission in Iraq and Syria as the current level of resources did not seem to be enough to fight off the militant group.
Ahead of the Tuesday meeting, John Godfrey, acting US special envoy to the Defeat IS coalition, told reporters on Monday, “There continues to be a cadre of capable ISIS actors in Syria who have experience with plotting attacks further afield, and who we assess retain aspirations to continue doing that.”
He added, “They’ve demonstrated some connectivity to actors further afield that we’re very closely focused on. (It) argues, I think, for a sustained pressure — counterterrorism pressure, that is — against those elements, working in partnership with the local partners on the ground.”
