ISIS Now Seeing Defeat?
Amid the global awareness on the brutality of ISIS (Daesh), the United States of America today said Daesh is losing territories in Iraq.
In an interview with David Pujadas of France 2, Secretary of State, John Kerry, said Daesh now controls 25 percent less territory.
The coalition against the group have liberated Tikrit, liberated Baiji and liberated Kobani.
Secretary Kerry highlighted that they have liberated other towns in Syria.
At present, the coalition is now moving to put greater pressure on Daesh and cut them off from Mosul to al-Raqqa.
“And as a result, Daesh will feel more and more pressure over the course of these next weeks and months.” – Secretary Kerry
The good thing also, more people are prepared to enter the fight understanding the seriousness of what is happening with fighters spreading through the world.
“We have to end what is happening in Syria and Iraq as soon as possible.” – Secretary Kerry
ISIS Weakening?
According to Secretary Kerry, the coalition conducted strikes in the last couple of days which took out 161 oil trucks, which is how Daesh gets money.
The extremist group is said to be smuggling oil across the borders into Iraq, and into Turkey, and it provides a very significant amount of money.
The US and its allies are going after smuggling areas in Iraq.
“And I think with an increased pace, Daesh is going to find it much harder to try to do the things that it’s been doing.” – Secretary Kerry
However, Secretary Kerry highlighted that the US and its allies will not be able to stop every incident until they stamp out the headquarters, the leaders, down through the fighting ranks, and make it clear the world is not going to tolerate this kind of activity, this kind of disruption.
Kerry: Departure of Assad Essential to End Turmoil
During the interview, Secretary Kerry pointed out that Assad must step down to be able to end the war.
“Assad’s departure is still essential, not because I say so or France says so or another country, but because you literally cannot stop the war if Assad is there.” – Secretary Kerry
According to Secretary Kerry, Assad is the magnet for these foreign fighters who come and fight now for they want the removal of Assad.
Also, Assad has lost the credibility of his people for three-quarters of Syria are displaced people and refugees.
“He’s only governing now about 25 percent of the country.” – Secretary Kerry
Secretary Kerry said Assad has gassed his people, barrel bombed his people, starved his people, tortured his people, killed his people and must step down as the country’s leader.
ISIS Brings Terror In Iraq
The rebel fighters belong to the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.
The terroristic moves were not something new for ISIS – the group has been known for its insurgency operations in Nineveh and other provinces.
Mosul was the second city to be seized by ISIS militants in 2014. The Iraqi government lost control of Fallujah earlier in 2014.
With the raging aggression in Mosul, the International Organization for Migration estimated at that time, the number of people displaced by violence in Mosul and surrounding areas of Ninewa governorate reached 500,000.
ISIS is composed largely of non-Syrian fighters and is believed to be made up of tens of thousands of fighters in Syria. The group gets its funding from oil revenue and wealthy donors in the Arab Gulf states.
In August 2014, Assyrians in the US were reporting that ISIS was killing their families and friends in Iraq. WGN TV in Chicago reported that “The largest group of Iraqi Christians outside of Iraq lives in Chicago.”
US Strategy on Syria
President Obama has set three interrelated goals for the Syrian crisis.
The US is committed to the defeat and dismantlement of the Daesh terrorist organization. In October this year, President Obama directed every member of his national security team to pick up the pace and move forward with ideas for degrading and defeating Daesh more rapidly, more completely, and permanently.
The violence in Syria, which began in March 2011 as a protest movement similar to those witnessed across the Middle East and North Africa, has claimed many lives, mostly civilians.
