Marotto: Military action will not take us so far

March 23rd marks the second annual anniversary of termination by the Syrian Democratic Forces of the ISIS geographical control in North Eastern Syria after Baghouz was declared liberated on March 23rd, 2019.

The present situation of the ISIS military actions and ideology, and the future of cooperation and coordination between the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and the SDF after two years of the geographical destruction of the final ISIS bastion in the Baghouz of Deir Ezzor, these among others were discussed by ANHA with the spokesperson of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Col. Wayne Marotto in an interview that went as follows:

How do you assess the situation of ISIS in the regions of northern and eastern Syria now, two years after the liberation?

In northeast Syria, the Syrian Democratic Forces have territorially defeated Daesh. The evidence is Daesh controls no territory in NE Syria. Though territorial defeated, it does not mean the organization is completely eliminated. Daesh is resilient and remains a serious challenge. The organization has been reduced to an insurgency in Syria and Iraq with kidnappings, assassinations, hit and run low level attacks and intimidation of the populace. But relentless pressure by our security partners in Iraq and Syria is preventing a reemergence of Daesh. OIR continues to work by, with and through our partner forces in Iraq and North East Syria against Daesh to ensure its lasting defeat.

ISIS still poses a danger, what are the reasons, and how dangerous are they in the future?

The enemy is defeated in the field, but its ideology of hate, destruction and terror still resonates among aggrieved and radicalized people both within the Middle East and further abroad. The Coalition will continue with its partners to strike at the terrorists, reflecting the world-wide unity to see an enduring defeat delivered against Daesh.

What is the impact of the security operations of the SDF and the coalition to combat ISIS terrorism?

The impact has been that the Coalition and the SDF have territorial defeat Daesh in northeast Syria. The Coalition will continue to work with our SDF partners to ensure the enduring defeat of Daesh and prevent a Daesh resurgence while maintaining stability and security in northeast Syria.

What are the practical plans that would eradicate extremism and the militant ideas of ISIS left behind in the region?

Coalition and partner force military operations have created space and time for diplomatic, informational and economic efforts to increase regional stability. Military action will only take us so far, however, and the support we provide is only an enabler for future stabilization work. True stabilization will occur when international governments and organizations flow in to assist areas in need in key areas of need: access to basic services, rubble clearance, removal of IEDs and explosive elements of war, infrastructure repair, humanitarian assistance, and medical aid.

What are the risks posed by the presence of more than 19,000 ISIS terrorists detained by the SDF, of Syrian, Iraqi and foreign nationalities, as well as their families?

I don’t know what the numbers are but I can say is the longer-term risk is the systemic indoctrination of this population to ISIS's ideology. This is an alarming development, with potentially generational implications. And to be clear, there is no military solution to this problem. Unless the international community finds a way to repatriate, reintegrate into home communities, and support locally grown reconciliation programs, we will bear witness to the indoctrination of the next generation of ISIS as these children become radicalized. Failing to address this now means ISIS will never be truly defeated, as the ideology will continue well into the future. Addressing this issue requires cooperation among diplomatic, security, and humanitarian channels with a local solution supported by local governments, organizations, and communities. They are the ones that are best placed to support and reintegrate individuals into society. This remains a tough global problem, requiring global resources channeled through regional and local solutions.

What is the plan of the coalition to support the Qasd against the detainees in its prisons, and the families of ISIS who are in the camps of the Autonomous Administration?

Thanks to the successes of the Syrian Democratic Forces on the battlefield, the SDF currently has detained an immense number of Foreign Terrorist Fighters. We recognize the strain this puts on the SDF and appreciate their willingness to assist with this important task. However, these fighters are a global problem that requires global cooperation to solve.

A small number of foreign terrorist fighters who were in the custody of the SDF have been returned to their countries of origin, and we applaud those countries for their leadership in this important effort. Every situation is unique. Many captured terrorist fighters are held by the Iraqi government or Syrian Democratic Forces, but they can’t realistically solve this problem alone.

The situation is complicated by challenges beyond the OIR mission including the judicial processing of detained Daesh fighters and durable solutions for internally displaced persons.

This is a problem the international community needs to confront. We encourage countries to take all necessary measures to repatriate their citizens who joined Daesh and have been captured in Syria and Iraq. Doing so shows their citizens, including those who may be terror attack victims and those who may be tempted by Daesh’s ideology alike, that they are serious about holding those who make choices to account and preventing potential terror attacks.

What is the future of the coalition forces in northern and eastern Syria with the arrival of a new administration to the United States of America?

The CJTF-OIR mission remains unchanged. We remain committed to supporting Iraq’s long-term security, stability and prosperity. While Daesh has been defeated territorially remnants of Daesh remain a threat. CJTF OIR will continue to work by, with and through our Iraqi and Syrian partners to ensure the enduring defeat of Daesh.

L.A.

ANHA