Trump says 100 % of territory previously held by Daesh liberated
President Donald Trump praised the US and its allies
for progress made in the fight against ISIS (Daesh) in a speech that failed to
discuss the diplomatic and policy implications of his sudden decision to pull
US troops from Syria, CNN reported.
In a speech to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS
ministerial at the State Department Wednesday, the US President touted the
territorial gains made against the terror group.
"The United States military, our coalition
partners and the Syrian Democratic Forces have liberated virtually all of the
territory previously held by ISIS in Syria and Iraq. It should be formally
announced sometime probably next week that we will have 100% of the
caliphate," he said before cautioning that he wants "to wait for the
official word."
Trump told the audience of representatives from the
79 members of the coalition that the US "(looks) forward to giving our
brave warriors in Syria a warm welcome back home" -- his most direct
reference to his announcement in December that the US would pull its forces
from Syria. That unexpected announcement prompted the resignation of Defense
Secretary James Mattis and the special presidential envoy to the global
coalition, Brett McGurk. The conditions and logistics of the US withdrawal
remain under negotiation.
"Rest assured we will do what it takes to
defeat every ounce and every last person within the ISIS madness and defend our
people from terrorism," Trump said Wednesday, calling the fight against
terrorism a shared one.
"The struggle against terrorism is a shared
fight. We do it together," Trump said. "Everyone must do their part
and contribute their fair share."
Trump specifically praised Germany, Saudi Arabia and
the UAE for their financial commitments to the fight against ISIS.
