US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned on Monday that the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization might exploit the current situation in Syria to regain strength, but emphasized the United States' resolve to prevent that from happening, Reuters reported.
Blinken stressed that Syrians must determine their own future, expressing cautious optimism about rebel leaders’ commitments to inclusive governance.
“Statements by rebel leaders toward building inclusive governance are welcome, but the real measure will be in the action they take, not just what they say,” Blinken said during a State Department event.
Commenting on the toppling of President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime on the weekend, the Secretary of State said, “The end of this regime is a defeat for all who enabled its barbarity and its corruption, none more than Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia. So, this moment presents a historic opportunity, but it also carries considerable risks.”
He further highlighted the dangers of instability, adding, “History shows how quickly moments of promise can descend into conflict and violence. ISIS will try to use this period to re-establish its capabilities, to create safe havens. As our precision strikes over the weekend demonstrate, we are determined not to let that happen.”
Blinken affirmed the United States’ commitment to protecting its personnel in the region and maintaining vigilance against emerging threats.
ISIS overran large swathes of Syria and neighboring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" in land it controlled.
Several military offensives, including ones backed by a US-led international coalition, have since seen ISIS lose most areas it once controlled, including the loss of their de facto capital in Raqqa, Syria.
However, ISIS sleeper cells remain in the area and continue to carry out deadly attacks in Syria and Iraq. The US deploys troops in Syria as part of its effort to defeat ISIS in the region.
The international coalition led by the US has eliminated numerous ISIS terrorists in air strikes in Syria and Iraq in recent years, including the group’s leader in eastern Syria, who was eliminated in a strike in July of 2023.
On Sunday, after the toppling of the Assad regime, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its forces conducted dozens of precision air strikes targeting known ISIS camps and terrorists in central Syria.
It added that the operation struck over 75 targets using multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s.