Iraq 0
5 June 2020

The U.S. Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, James Jeffrey, reported that “we are concerned about Daesh [ISIS] elements south of the Euphrates in those areas that the [Syrian] regime and its Iranian and Russian supporters control. There has been a significant increase in attacks, and we’re watching that closely because Daesh sees the entire Iraq/Syria area as one single front”. Jeffrey went on to assert that “there’s been no change in the American position that we’re going to continue to maintain forces as long as the Iraqi government is willing to have U.S. and coalition forces present in the country until the enduring defeat of Daesh is accomplished, and it’s not yet accomplished”. He also noted that in Iraq “NATO has taken the decision to expand its current level and current kind of activities which are higher-level headquarters coordination, coaching, training, that sort of thing”.

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