The formal end to Daesh’s territorial holdings in Iraq and Syria is likely to be announced as soon as next week, President Donald Trump said Wednesday as US partners fight to rid the terror group from its final bastions in Syria.
The president made the announcement at a convening of over 70 of the US-led anti-Daesh coalition’s foreign ministers in Washington.
“WE WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO DEFEAT IT”
“The ISIS caliphate has been decimated,” Trump said at the meeting, using another name for Daesh. He warned, however, that even as the group loses the last remnants of its territories, holdout Daesh operatives still in the region will continue to pose a threat. “Rest assured, we will do what it takes to defeat every ounce, and every last person within the ISIS madness,” he said.
During the meeting, the top diplomats of Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the US issued a joint statement stressing the “concerted need for diplomacy and international political will” led by the UN to end the Syrian conflict.
“We affirm in the strongest terms that those who seek to destabilize the region or seek a military solution will only succeed in increasing the risk of a dangerous escalation and wider conflagration in the region,” the countries said.
The comments came as the UN released its report on the terror group, warning Daesh is transforming its operations into covert networks in Iraq and Syria following military defeats in the two countries.
“One document obtained by a Member State describes ISIL’s objectives for the post-caliphate period: to undermine stabilization and reconstruction activities, target infrastructure rebuilding efforts and in general thwart economic progress,” it said.