Renewed international commitment to confront ISIS from Riyadh
The Saudi capital, Riyadh, hosted a crucial meeting of political directors from the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, where participants reaffirmed their shared commitment to confronting the ongoing threat posed by the organization. They also emphasized the urgent need for sustainable solutions regarding detained fighters and their families as a top priority. In their concluding statement, participants expressed their appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the meeting and for its pivotal role in supporting international and regional counterterrorism efforts. The meeting was co-chaired by Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed bin Abdulkarim Al-Khuraiji and the US Special Envoy to Syria. Attendees stressed the importance of continued coordination between diplomatic and military efforts to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS.
Historical context: From emergence to regional defeat
This meeting comes within the context of ongoing efforts that began with the formation of the international coalition in 2014, in response to ISIS's control of vast areas of Iraq and Syria and its declaration of a so-called "caliphate." Since then, the coalition, which includes dozens of countries and international organizations, has achieved a major military victory, liberating all the territory that was under the group's control by 2019. However, the threat has not ended; rather, it has transformed into a new form relying on sleeper cells and hit-and-run attacks, in addition to the enormous security and humanitarian challenge posed by the thousands of foreign fighters and their families detained in northeastern Syria and Iraq.
The importance of the meeting: the crisis of detainees and camps
The meeting highlighted the most pressing issue: the management of detention facilities and displacement camps, such as al-Hol and Roj camps in Syria. The statement emphasized that the “rapid and safe transfer of ISIS detainees,” the repatriation of third-country nationals, and the reintegration of families into their communities are crucial steps to prevent the group’s resurgence. These camps are ticking time bombs, providing fertile ground for the spread of extremist ideology and the recruitment of a new generation of terrorists, thus threatening regional and international security. Participants commended Iraq’s efforts in the secure detention of ISIS fighters and welcomed the assumption of responsibility for detention facilities and displacement camps by partners in Syria.
Regional and international impact and future steps
Coalition members emphasized the crucial role of the Iraqi government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as key partners on the ground in confronting ISIS remnants and managing the detainee crisis. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Iraq and its Syrian partners and urged all states to fulfill their responsibilities toward their detained citizens by expediting repatriation, prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration processes in accordance with national and international law. The continued lack of a comprehensive solution to this challenge threatens to undermine the hard-won gains, and the Riyadh meeting underscores that the fight against ISIS has entered a new phase requiring political and legal cooperation that is no less important than military action.
