US Department of Defense: Iraqis are incredibly skilled in counterterrorism operations

Shafaq News/ The region remains vigilant as the terror group ISIS adapts its strategies in response to coalition efforts, according to a report from the US Department of Defense, titled “Defeat-ISIS Group Adapts to Continue Pressure on Islamic State.”

In 2014, ISIS launched a violent campaign across Iraq and Syria, threatening millions with a brutal regime characterized by murder, rape, and genocide. Unlike other terror organizations, ISIS aimed to establish a caliphate and sought to eliminate those who did not share its ideology. “The ISIS genocidal moves against the Yazidi people in Iraq resulted in at least 5,000 deaths including the kidnapping and forced conversion of tens of thousands, are a case in point of what their rule might have looked like,” the report affirmed.

At its peak, ISIS controlled significant territories, including Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city. However, the US-led Defeat-ISIS coalition has successfully liberated much of this territory, showcasing “a new and effective way of confronting this worldwide threat.”

The report cited Alan Matney, the Department of Defense's coordinator for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, stating, “The terrorists no longer rule territory, but the ideology espoused by the group continues, and there is still a need for the coalition.” He emphasized the importance of adaptability, saying, “I think if we've learned anything over the last 10 years of the coalition, then I would argue that this threat does not go away: It changes and it adapts.”

"Where we are right now, is we are at a normal and healthy stage where we are adapting, too."

Over the past decade, the coalition has shifted its focus from reclaiming territory to anticipating ISIS's next moves and potential targets. “Groups like ISIS just continually assess what their strengths are, assess what their weaknesses are and try to position themselves to take advantage of that,” Matney noted. “We do the same.”

Matney explained that ISIS aims to stretch its opponents thin, saying, “ISIS, very deliberately, wants us to overreact or react in a way that is strategically impossible to maintain. It wants us to use so many resources that individual countries just can't do it." He added, “The coalition really has been our key tool to countering that strategy. Collectively, we've spread the burden of opposing ISIS effectively, and we still are [effective] today.”

The coalition's approach has transitioned from military confrontations to intelligence-sharing and counterterrorism training for partner nations. In Iraq, the coalition collaborates closely with Iraqi security forces, with Matney asserting, “The Iraqis are incredibly skilled now in counterterrorism operations. They have become really skilled partners. We also have local partners in Syria who are highly skilled and highly capable."

As a result of coalition successes, ISIS faces significant challenges in Iraq and Syria. ISIS now tries to operate in West Africa, Somalia, Afghanistan and Southeast Asia. “It's kind of seeping back into places where they are hard to find, requiring different approaches for how you go after it,” Matney explained, emphasizing the coalition's adaptability.

While the US has reduced its military presence in areas like Afghanistan and West Africa, Matney highlighted the importance of its partners, stating, “While we don't have as much insight into what is going on day to day, we have 87 partners, among our partners that can help us meet those needs.”

"In these other areas, where do we have collective strengths? Who among our partners can help us meet those needs?"

Matney also described the coalition as “a unique multilateral organization” that operates differently from consensus-based entities like the United Nations or NATO. “When the coalition stood up, we chose a different model,” he noted, highlighting the coalition's agility. “I tell people, 'Every member gets a vote, but nobody gets a veto.'” This flexibility allows for effective responses even when some nations opt not to participate in certain operations.

The coalition's model has served as an example for other multinational efforts, with Matney citing the Ukraine Defense Contact Group as a recent illustration. “This is not to say this is the new template for everything, everywhere,” he cautioned. “But it is something we can point to and say how it worked for us, and how it may be adapted in other circumstances.”

Disclaimer: The views presented by the author do not necessarily reflect the official standpoint of Shafaq News Agency.