US State Department: We welcome a partner in Syria aware of the ISIS threat and determined to curb it

The Italian capital, Rome, hosted a meeting of the International Coalition to Defeat ISIS, in partnership with the United States and with the participation of political directors and senior diplomatic officials from member states, to discuss ways to enhance international efforts to combat the group and support stability in Syria and Iraq, according to Syrian Al-Ekhbariya TV.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott affirmed that Washington welcomes the presence of a coalition partner in Syria that recognizes the magnitude of the threat posed by ISIS and is determined to work with coalition members to curb the group’s threat. He stressed that the sustainability of security and stability in both Syria and Iraq fundamentally depends on strengthening sovereign, inclusive state institutions capable of representing and protecting all components, thereby enabling them to participate on an equal footing in shaping the future of their countries.

In the same context, the International Coalition announced its commitment to provide more than $75 million to support Syria’s needs in counterterrorism and to enhance the capacity of detention centers.

The International Coalition had previously welcomed Syria’s accession to its ranks as the 90th member during a meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia last February, attended by senior diplomats and defense officials from the coalition’s core group in Riyadh. That meeting focused on the transfer and security of ISIS detainees, the repatriation of foreign nationals detained in Iraq and Syria to their home countries, and support for both countries in managing detention facilities and displacement camps.