From Iraq to Syria… The United States Seeks Regional Partnerships to Combat ISIS

The United States is currently working to build an integrated framework for political, security, and military cooperation across Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, with a focus on combating the Islamic State (ISIS), according to statements from U.S. officials to Al Arabiya and Al Hadath news agencies.

Officials stated that the U.S. is closely monitoring developments in northwest Syria, where the resurgence of ISIS poses a potential threat. Washington seeks to cooperate with the Syrian government led by Ahmad Al-Shara to mitigate the risks posed by the group. They added that U.S. efforts include removing obstacles between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government to reach a joint cooperation formula.

Regarding Iraq, officials confirmed that Iraqi forces are considered a key partner in counterterrorism efforts. The U.S. is currently in a transitional phase coordinating efforts with Kurdish forces in the Kurdistan Region. However, the officials noted that Washington does not currently view Iraq as a long-term strategic ally but rather focuses on specific bilateral partnerships to fight ISIS.

Officials also indicated that the U.S. balances its work between local forces and the Iraqi and Syrian governments, explaining that the role of local partners may diminish as the effectiveness of the Syrian government in confronting security threats improves.

They explained that Iranian expansion in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, alongside ISIS activity, has presented multiple challenges to Washington. This has sometimes necessitated working concurrently with different parties depending on battlefield conditions, while maintaining a primary objective of counterterrorism.

These U.S. efforts reflect the current regional approach based on temporary and diverse partnerships, as part of a strategy to reduce risks to American and regional security, with continuous monitoring of developments and risk assessments.