SDF on the anniversary of Baghouz victory: The ISIS threat continues

The General Command of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) released a statement on the third anniversary of eliminating ISIS’ last strongholds and announcing the final elimination of its so-called Caliphate.

The statement released by SDF Press Centre on Wednesday includes the following:

“Today, March 23, marks the third anniversary of eliminating ISIS’ last strongholds and announcing the final elimination of its so-called Caliphate, after years of unparallel, constant, and globally supported struggle of our forces and people in the north and eastern Syria, which finally culminated in glory and the honor to rid the world of the greatest danger preoccupied the region and the world in their present and future.

On this occasion and at the beginning, we recall our martyrs, without whose sacrifices, this great victory would not be done. And we recall our brave fighters and our strong people, who resolutely defended their moral and humanitarian values against the terrorist organization and its supporters despite the modest military and security potential and the multiple threats by regional states that have gone in the opposite direction to the war against ISIS.

Undoubtedly, the field and military elimination of the ISIS Caliphate in al-Baguz, its last stronghold, has revived the chances of survival for millions of people in our regions and the world. Our forces played the role of savior of the world when ISIS reached its most dangerous stage to the extent that the world at some point lost hope in controlling and stopping its expansion, and they just kept watching its brutal and terrible crimes against human beings, history, and nature. Every person, every city, and every village in the region has its own painful and unforgettable story that shakes the entity of humanity. Therefore, the commemoration of our martyrs and their great sacrifices in ridding humanity of ISIS terrorism is a universal moral duty that rests with every free and responsible human in our regions.

In this regard, we refer to the imminent dangers that ISIS continues to pose, particularly its terrorist cells, and we reiterate that the terrorist organization is trying to revive its dreams again by trying to control some areas in Syria and Iraq and to form a foothold to expand and attract potential elements in the world. The recent attacks on the al-Sina’a prison in al-Hasaka city confirmed what we were long-warned of the danger of the international community neglecting and slowing down in resolving this file the most important of which are the prisons and camps holding ISIS detainees and families, as well as the lack of adequate support for the reconstruction of the area damaged by ISIS and the battles to expel ISIS.

Therefore, we stress that the international community’s inaction, some states’ negligence, and the absence of a clear comprehensive long-term international plan increase human and material losses and allow ISIS to strengthen its organization, blackmail and intimidate part of local communities, preventing them from participating in efforts of eliminating extremist ideas and drying up the ideological environment. Further, attract new local and foreign elements in the open space of inflammatory propaganda on fictitious names and platforms. It has to be noted that the narrow approaches of some countries and their unwillingness to assume their responsibilities by repatriating their nationals of ISIS detainees and families from the north and eastern Syria. In addition to the lack of assistance necessary to establish an international tribunal in our regions. Such approaches harm the efforts made over the past years in the war against ISIS and increase ISIS’s ability to overcome its deep setbacks.

On this basis, the SDF once again calls on all countries in the international coalition to fight ISIS to provide more support to our forces in their long-term war and to develop a clear military, security, and political strategy to prevent the resurgence of the terrorist organization, and we call on the international community to provide adequate and lasting assistance to the peoples of north and eastern Syria by supporting security, stability and economic and community development.

In addition, to play its role in preventing other parties, primarily Turkey, from harming the gains made with the blood of thousands of Martyrs in the fight against ISIS and maintaining the stability necessary for the success of efforts of final elimination of the terrorist organization.

Once again, we congratulate our people, our fighters, the free world, and our partners in the international coalition on the third anniversary of al-Baguz liberation and the elimination of the so-called ISIS Caliphate, and again we call on all parties to join hands and unite all efforts to rid humanity of the so-called “ISIS” epidemic.”