The US envoy to the anti-ISIL coalition says that the battle against the insurgents in Iraq and Syria is not over.
Brett McGurk said on Wednesday that more than three years after ISIL swept into northern Iraq and Syria, the extremists remain a threat.
"Even though there has been progress made against ISIS- the fight is not over, we have to make sure we follow through", he told The National, in reference to the US' military and humanitarian support mission.
Although Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi announced victory against ISIL in December, he ordered security forces, last month, to eliminate “ISIL sleeper cells” and protect civilians
“The operations aim to put pressure on both the Syrian and Iraqi sides of the border, that particular fight is not over yet,” Mr McGurk said.
The US-led coalition against the insurgents continues to support Iraqi forces three years after the militant group captured a third of Iraq’s territory.
“Iraq has cleared 100 per cent of its territory that used to be controlled by ISIS and 3.2 million Iraqis have returned to their home in areas that used to be controlled by ISIS," Mr McGurk said. "We have to make sure the defeat of ISIS is an enduring one.”
The extremists have not been able to reclaim any of the liberated territories due to military, humanitarian and comprehensive stabilisation plans that were put in place three years ago with the Iraqi government, the special presidential envoy for global coalition to defeat ISIL said.
However, the militant group's collapse in its Iraqi and Syrian strongholds does not spell the end of its violence.
Referring to Syria, Mr McGurk said the coalition is working to ensure that none of the detained insurgents are released.
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Read more:
UAE and Gulf states pledge billions for Iraq
Comment: Miscalculation and vulnerability simmer beneath the surface of the Syrian conflict
Beyond the Headlines podcast: Iraq's reconstruction and the challenges ahead
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The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who served as the coalition’s main partner in Syria have managed to capture hundreds of foreign fighters.
“We are working together to ensure that none of the fighters can get out and threaten their communities and that justice is done in a way that [is consistent] with international law.”
The focus is now on the immediate stabilisation and reconstruction of areas in need. “That is going to be a ten-year process,” Mr McGurk said referring to an Iraq fundraising international conference in Kuwait attended by dozens of potential donors.
Iraqi officials said rebuilding and developing hospitals, schools, homes, roads and telecommunications was the key to providing jobs, returning hundreds of thousands of displaced people to their homes and ending several decades of violence.
Mr Al Abadi stressed that the entire Middle East had a stake in his country's fate.
“It was a bloody and tough war, our homes were destroyed, schools devastated, streets turned into battlefields, we tolerated this because not only were we fighting for Iraq but for all humanity,” he said during the conference.
Iraq wants to raise the estimated $88 billion needed to rebuild ravaged areas. Numerous Iraqi cities were reduced to rubble during the fight against ISIL.
Mosul, the country’ second largest city was one of the hardest hit places, with nearly 40,000 homes needing to be rebuilt or repaired before residents displaced by the war can return, according to the UN.
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
The%20Roundup
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SUZUME
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
More coverage from the Future Forum
The%20Killer
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The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions