The coalition points to a “dramatic decrease” in Islamic State attacks in Iraq and Syria in 2023

25 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The international coalition against the Islamic State has indicated that the activities of the jihadist group “have decreased dramatically” in Syria and Iraq so far this year, before specifying that the last month of Ramadan was “one of the most peaceful” to date. the date.

“Thanks to the efforts of our partners, supported by the coalition, we have seen a dramatic decline in Islamic State activities and effectiveness across our area of ​​operations,” Operation Inherent Resolve Commander Matthew McFarlane said. .

McFarlane has stressed that the jihadist group “continues to be militarily defeated and does not control any territory”, although he has acknowledged that “the ideology of the Islamic State continues without restrictions and is active, seeking to reconstitute itself and restart its hate campaign in this region and throughout the world”.

“Since the beginning of this year we have seen a 68 percent reduction in attacks in Iraq, compared to the same period last year,” he detailed, with a 55 percent drop in attacks in the case of Syria. .

“When I talk about attacks, attack reduction, I mean opportunistic exchanges in small groups between one or a few individuals. Islamic State has failed to coordinate anything more than that over the last few years,” he said.

In this sense, McFarlane has specified that during the last month of Ramadan there has been an 80 percent reduction in the number of attacks compared to the same period in 2022, a figure that has been 37 percent in Syria.

“While our partners continue to disrupt and dismantle Islamic State cells and activities, we remain focused on preventing any resurgence of Islamic State through our repatriation efforts from detention facilities and displacement camps,” he explained.

“So far in 2023 we have seen the repatriation (…) of more than 1,300 people from third countries from the Al Hol camp,” said McFarlane, who stressed that “there are still a large number of people from third countries in these camps in north-eastern Syria awaiting their repatriation to their homeland”.

“These displacement camps continue to be a strategic problem that requires an international solution,” he said, before stressing that the coalition “remains vigilant and cautiously optimistic” about the “progress” made in the fight against Islamic State.