French Minister Expresses Concern over Resurgence of ISIS

On Sunday, the French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly expressed her concern about the "Resurgence" of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria again.

In a statement to a media alliance that includes "France Inter" radio stations, "France Info TV" and "Le Monde" newspaper, Parly emphasized that "France considers that the Islamic State still exists. It is even possible to talk about some form of a resurgence in Syria and Iraq."

The minister's comments came at a time when the administration of outgoing US President Donald Trump announced that it plans to withdraw 500 troops from Iraq in mid-February and keep only 2,500 soldiers there.

The overwhelming majority of the forces of the member states of the international coalition to combat ISIS already left with the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Since the fall of the town of Al-Baghouz in the Euphrates Valley, which was ISIS's last stronghold, we can see that the organization is regaining its strength in Syria," the French minister said, as the aforementioned group adopted an attack in which 39 members of the regime forces were killed on December 30th.

The minister emphasized that the organization, which claimed many attacks in Europe recently, is "Rebuilding its ranks in Iraq as well," Considering that the Islamic State has not been eradicated in the Levant."

The minster continued, "Therefore, we are still there through training missions with four Rafale fighters, participating in the missions of the international coalition to combat ISIS led by the United States."

It was declared in 2014 the establishment of a "Caliphate" in areas the organization controlled in Syria and Iraq, ISIS suffered successive losses in the two countries before the collapse of its "Emperor" in March 2019 in Syria.

Since the fall of Al-Baghouz in March 2019, the attacks launched by the organization have resulted in the deaths of more than 1,300 people, among the Syrian military and fighters loyal to Iran, as well as more than 600 jihadists, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.