U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday expressed optimism about the efforts of the international coalition fighting the Islamic State and said that "without exaggeration" the day will come when the terrorists will be driven out of Syria and Iraq.
At the start of the second day of the summit of defense and foreign ministers of the coalition members held on Wednesday and Thursday in Washington, Kerry reviewed the coalition's achievements in battling ISIS and the gradual erosion of the jihadist group's capabilities.
"Our coalition and our partners on the ground have driven (ISIS) out of nearly half the territory it once occupied in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria. Our airstrikes have degraded (its) leadership, put pressure on its supply lines, disrupted its ability to carry out offensive military operations," Kerry said.
"And security along the Syria-Turkish border has tightened, and we have squeezed Daesh's revenue streams by hammering its oil facilities, tanker trucks and cash storage sites," he said, using another term for ISIS, adding that "earlier this month, the Iraqi Army took control of Qayyarah Air Base, about 40 miles south of Mosul, by far the largest city remaining under Daesh control."
However, Kerry also warned that this is a critical moment for the campaign, which needs to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa and the Iraqi city of Mosul with an eye toward eliminating the redoubts where the jihadists are able to operate unmolested.
With that goal in mind, he emphasized the importance of the meeting currently under way, placing special emphasis not only on military coordination between the coalition members but also on exchanging intelligence, both of which are key in avoiding jihadist attacks in Western nations.
"And I want to emphasize that Daesh is not pursuing a passive strategy. On the contrary, it is seeking to expand its reach by developing expertise in more languages and by establishing contacts in additional countries and regions," he said.
"What does it mean for us? Well, the answer begins with communication. That is why we started today with a briefing from (CIA Director) General (James) Clapper," Kerry added.
He emphasized that "information-sharing has always been a big part of what the coalition does and it has played a key role in our effort to prevent foreign terrorist fighters from traveling to Syria and Iraq."
The U.S.-led international coalition is comprised of more than 40 nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and The Netherlands.
EFE
22/7/16
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"Our coalition and our partners on the ground have driven (ISIS) out of nearly half the territory it once occupied in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria. Our airstrikes have degraded (its) leadership, put pressure on its supply lines, disrupted its ability to carry out offensive military operations," Kerry said.
"And security along the Syria-Turkish border has tightened, and we have squeezed Daesh's revenue streams by hammering its oil facilities, tanker trucks and cash storage sites," he said, using another term for ISIS, adding that "earlier this month, the Iraqi Army took control of Qayyarah Air Base, about 40 miles south of Mosul, by far the largest city remaining under Daesh control."
However, Kerry also warned that this is a critical moment for the campaign, which needs to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa and the Iraqi city of Mosul with an eye toward eliminating the redoubts where the jihadists are able to operate unmolested.
With that goal in mind, he emphasized the importance of the meeting currently under way, placing special emphasis not only on military coordination between the coalition members but also on exchanging intelligence, both of which are key in avoiding jihadist attacks in Western nations.
"And I want to emphasize that Daesh is not pursuing a passive strategy. On the contrary, it is seeking to expand its reach by developing expertise in more languages and by establishing contacts in additional countries and regions," he said.
"What does it mean for us? Well, the answer begins with communication. That is why we started today with a briefing from (CIA Director) General (James) Clapper," Kerry added.
He emphasized that "information-sharing has always been a big part of what the coalition does and it has played a key role in our effort to prevent foreign terrorist fighters from traveling to Syria and Iraq."
The U.S.-led international coalition is comprised of more than 40 nations, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and The Netherlands.
EFE
22/7/16
--
-
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Spanish Defense Minister Pedro Morenes said Thursday that the U.S.-led international coalition fighting the Islamic State wants Madrid to increase its assistance and training for Iraqi security forces with an eye toward crushing the jihadist group...
ReplyDeleteIn remarks to reporters during his visit to Washington, where he is attending a meeting of coalition foreign and defense ministers, Morenes said that the coalition had asked Spain to provide "a qualitative leap in training and also to train the brigades" providing support for the military actions currently under way.
EFE