Addressing a Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Small Group Ministerial meeting, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted that “we’re watching the space once occupied by this fraudulent caliphate [ie, ISIS] like a hawk. That’s why we’re maintaining our residual presence at Tanf, in southern Syria, and our capacity to conduct air operations. We’ve repositioned some our troops in north east Syria and in the broader region as well, to make sure that ISIS will never get a second wind and to prevent ISIS from recapturing the oil fields”. “We are continuing to pursue a diplomatic resolution of the Syrian conflict with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 as the guide so that stability can, one day, return to this war-torn land”, Pompeo added. The coalition also issued a joint communique.