On Wednesday, January 6, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, welcomed the achievements over the past eleven months in the battle against Islamic State (ISIS) fighters in Iraq and Syria in a Twitter message. Trump shared statistics from the U.S. Department of Defense and a report by Jamie McIntyre in the Washington Examiner regarding the war against ISIS over the past three years. In this tweet, Trump rehashed part of McIntyre's report, which stated that on January 20, 2017, when Trump took the oath of office, there were approximately 35,000 ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria controlling an area of about 17,500 square miles. The U.S. military now estimates that about 1,000 fighters remain, controlling an area of approximately 1,900 square miles. Trump further included a table comparing the achievements of his eleven-month administration with the 28-month achievements of Barack Obama's administration in the war against ISIS. Jamie McIntyre reported on Wednesday that the defeat of ISIS accelerated during Trump's eleven-month term. The Washington Examiner noted that according to Defense Department statistics, the areas liberated in the past eleven months are double those liberated during Obama's 28 months in office. In this context, the U.S.-led international coalition against ISIS announced on Wednesday that the number of ISIS fighters remaining in Iraq and Syria is less than 1,000. The Islamic State managed to seize large parts of Iraq, especially the city of Mosul, in September 2014, establishing a self-proclaimed caliphate over millions. To combat ISIS, an international coalition led by the U.S. was formed in 2014, which, in addition to airstrikes against ISIS forces in Iraq and Syria, has assisted Iraqi, Kurdish, and Arab forces in these battles. Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, announced last month that Iraqi forces have completely taken control of the Syrian-Iraqi borders.
Trump Welcomes Achievements in the War Against ISIS
Donald Trump praised the achievements in the fight against ISIS, highlighting a significant reduction in the number of fighters and territory controlled by the group since he took office. This statement comes amid ongoing international efforts to combat ISIS and reflects a contrasting narrative to the previous administration's efforts. The developments are crucial for understanding U.S. military strategy and regional security dynamics.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Donald Trump praised the significant reduction of ISIS fighters and territory since he took office, highlighting the achievements of his administration in the fight against the group. He contrasted these achievements with those of the previous administration.
- ISIS fighters in Iraq and Syria reduced from approximately 35,000 to about 1,000 since Trump took office.
- The area controlled by ISIS shrank from 17,500 square miles to approximately 1,900 square miles.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
ISIS emerged as a major threat in 2014, seizing large territories in Iraq and Syria, prompting a U.S.-led international coalition to combat the group. The conflict has significant implications for regional actors, including Iran.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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