Syria Joins Anti-IS Coalition, US Envoy Declares New Global Security Chapter
The U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State group has officially welcomed Syria as its 90th member, with the U.S. envoy to Syria stating this move "marks a new chapter in collective security." This development follows Syria's official entry into the coalition in November 2025 during a historic visit by President Ahmad al-Sharaa to Washington, and representatives attended a coalition meeting in Saudi Arabia on Monday.
Key Priorities and Regional Cooperation
In a statement released on Tuesday, the State Department outlined that coalition priorities now include the swift transfer of IS detainees to Iraq and the repatriation of families linked to IS from camps in Syria. The U.S. military began transferring some of the approximately 9,000 IS detainees held in northeastern Syria to secure facilities in Iraq last month, amid clashes between government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Coalition members have underscored their readiness to work closely with the Syrian government, encouraging direct support for Syrian and Iraqi efforts. The statement emphasized "dignified reintegration" for families from the al-Hol and Roj camps, which house over 25,000 mostly women and children, the majority from Syria and Iraq. Syria's government assumed control of al-Hol in late January, and the State Department has called on dozens of other countries to repatriate their citizens from these camps.
Ceasefire and Integration of Forces
The State Department also welcomed a recent ceasefire that ended fighting between Syrian government forces and the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led SDF, which played a key role in combating IS in Syria. As part of a deal reached last month, the SDF will merge into the national army, with government delegations visiting key sites like the Qamishli International Airport, oil fields, and national oil company headquarters during the SDF's withdrawal from some positions.
Government forces have entered parts of the northeastern city of al-Hassakeh, and in the near future, Syria's central authorities are expected to take over border crossings with Iraq and Turkey. Officials commended Iraq's efforts to securely detain ISIS fighters and welcomed Syria's assumption of responsibility for detention facilities and displacement camps.
Tom Barrack, the U.S. envoy to Syria, highlighted the significance of this collaboration in comments posted on X, stating, "Regional solutions, shared responsibility. Syria's participation in the D-ISIS Coalition meeting in Riyadh marks a new chapter in collective security." This move signals a shift towards enhanced regional cooperation in the ongoing fight against extremism.
