Iraq’s foreign minister warns of ISIS resurgence

BAGHDAD — Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has told United Nations Secretary General António Guterres of concerns about ISIS reorganizing its ranks. In a phone call on Wednesday, Hussein said the group is exploiting the chaos resulting from the collapse of the Syrian army and the withdrawal of Syrian Democratic Forces to areas east of the Euphrates River.

Hussein stressed the critical need to secure prisons housing hundreds of ISIS members and leaders, emphasizing the urgency of finding a solution for the Al-Hol camp, which contains families and former members of the terror group.

The statement by the media office of Fuad Hussein:

The Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, held a phone call with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Fuad Hussein, on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, during which they discussed developments in the region, particularly in Syria.

The Secretary General emphasized that the United Nations, through its special representative in Syria, is continuously monitoring the situation and challenges there. He explained that the UN representative had visited Damascus and met with various parties, stressing the importance of providing support to the Syrian people. He expressed concern over potential tensions between certain organizations and armed groups and the YPG, noting an increasing likelihood of conflict between them. He also highlighted ongoing communications with Turkey and Qatar to explore ways to de-escalate the situation.

For his part, the Foreign Minister explained that the situation in Syria is characterized by complexity, with various armed groups controlling multiple areas. He pointed out that ISIS has begun reorganizing its ranks, exploiting the chaos caused by the collapse of the Syrian army and the withdrawal of Syrian Democratic Forces to the east of the Euphrates River. He emphasized the importance of securing prisons housing hundreds of ISIS members and leaders and finding an urgent solution for Al-Hol camp, which contains families and former members of the group.

Mr. Fuad Hussein stressed the need to protect Syrian minorities and communities, ensure their participation in the political process, and prevent them from being forced to emigrate while safeguarding their rights within a government that represents all parties.

The two sides also discussed a number of other issues related to Iraq during the call.