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US Defense Sec.: Anti-IS coalition to discuss military plan to defeat group

US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter
US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter
BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced Thursday that he will convene the first ever gathering of the defense ministers of the Global Coalition Against IS at NATO headquarters in Brussels later today.
"This is the first time that the defence ministers of anti-ISIL campaign have come together and that is very important...and I am very pleased with the attendance here today," he told a press conference in the Belgian capital this morning.
"We will be sharing with them the operational campaign plan to defeat ISIL as soon as possible. First and foremost in Syria and Iraq because that is the place from which this cancer arose," he said.
He noted that the military campaign plan will focus on the recapture of the cities of Mosul and Ramadi.
Carter said that the capabilities that will be required to carry out the campaign plan will also be discussed and many of the participants will have the opportunity to review the plan.
In addition to the military plan, the meeting will also discuss all the capabilities required like training of Iraqi forces, logistic, intelligence surveillance to defeat the IS.
They will also discuss the issue of foreign fighters, counter-terrorism financing, and internet activity to defeat the group in its totality.
Moreover, he said NATO defence ministers in their meeting yesterday exchanged views on how NATO can take on "a stronger and positive role" in the anti-IS coalition in which all NATO members are part of it. (end) nk.mt