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Ministerial talks in Washington pledge support of post-IS Iraq

WASHINGTON, July 21 (KUNA) -- Some 40 member nations of the coalition tackling the so-called Islamic State on Thursday pledged support for areas liberated from the group in Iraq and to cooperate more on global intelligence sharing - with the introduction of INTERPOL.
The anti-IS coalition also aim to halt the group from recruiting further foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria - their main hubs, US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters at foreign and defence ministerial talks in Washington.
The number of member fighters of the group has decreased by at least a third, while recruiting has slowed and defections have increased, he added in a joint press conference with US Secretary of Defence Ash Carter.
The talks sought to break bureaucratic barriers to ease the exchange of intelligence between nations "so that a border guard in Southern Europe has the same data about a terrorist suspect as an airport security officer in Manila, or an FBI agent in Boston, or a domestic law enforcement adviser on the Arabian Peninsula," he said.
The US already has information-sharing agreements with 55 international partners, while at least 50 countries currently provide profiles on foreign terrorist fighters to Interpol, he revealed, welcoming its addition to the coalition.
Kerry also noted the need to tackle IS-spread propaganda, which leads to the radicalization of people some of which results in 'lone wolves', through opposing "hate-filled narratives... with facts." The coalition has so far been successful in these, he indicated, mentioning a recent study by the US Global Engagement Center which showed that anti-IS content on the internet "far exceeds" pro-IS content for the first time in six months.
For his part, US Secretary of Defence Ash Carter noted to three objectives, namely to destroy the group's "parent tumor" in Iraq and Syria, to combat its affiliates in other parts of the world and to support local government efforts in protecting their own people.
During a meeting he headed the day before, defence ministers "reviewed and agreed on the next plays," which he said he would not yet discuss publicly.
"But let me be clear: They culminate in the collapse of ISIL's control over the cities of Mosul and Raqqa," he warned.
The talks also identified the "capabilities and the support" required to execute these "next plays," he said, praising the extended military contributions of France, the UK, Australia, Sweden and Finland.
Carter went on to commend the Iraqi forces' liberation of Ramadi, Makhmour, Hit, Rutbah, Fallujah and Qayyarah West Airfield, under coalition support, as they set their sights on Iraq's second largest city, Mosul.
Meanwhile in Syria, he praised the retake of Al-Shaddadi and local forces backed by the coalition surround Manbij, a border city with Turkey and key transit point for external fighters who aim to travel to the rest of the world.
The coalition have also killed over 20 of the group's external operators, who aim to launch attacks around the world, he added.
The talks, held over two days in the US, aimed to ensure that "the Iraqi and Syrian people have what they need to hold, stabilize, and govern their own territory" after IS is defeated, he added.
A statement following the talks said that the recent attacks in Nice, Baghdad, Dhaka Rukban, Istanbul, Qaa and others before them have only "cemented our common resolve" to destroy the group and the "toxic ideology that inspires its followers and sympathizers." The statement also welcomed the "steady progress" made by Iraqi forces and moderate Syrian opposition forces in liberating lands from IS and expressed the coalition's commitment to continue expanding its support of these efforts, while seeking to reduce the impact of military operations on civilians.
It also noted to the commitment to addressing humanitarian challenges and stabilization of regions liberated from the group.
In preparation for the retaking of Mosul from the group, the coalition said it was ready to support a post-liberation planning process in the country led by Prime Minister Haider Al-Abbadi and the Iraqi government.
The statement went on to mention the coalition's success in degrading the group whereby it is losing senior members and a large numbers of fighters and shrinking its resource base.
The group has cut its fighters pay by half in some areas and has resorted to "arbitrary taxation and extortion" in order to fund its operations, added the statement.
The ministers expressed deep concern about the growing humanitarian needs in areas affected by the conflict in Iraq and Syria, and welcomed "generous response" of neighboring host countries, Kuwait for hosting three donor conferences for Syria and the UK for hosting a fourth.
All of these "have helped address the overwhelming humanitarian needs of Syrians." The statement urged donor nations for Iraq, who met a day earlier, to commit to their pledges and to a UNDP fund for the country, warning that if Mosul is liberated this could lead to "the possible displacement of up to one million people." It also acknowledged the need to stabilize areas after they are liberated, through rebuild and repair efforts, particularly in the populated areas of the country.
Ministers also welcomed increased efforts towards intelligence sharing and the addition of INTERPOL to the coalition.
It also announced support of Libya's Government of National Accord in its fight against IS. (end) sd.ibi