United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson congratulated the Syrian people and the Syrian Democratic Forces on the liberation of Raqqa, the unofficial capital of the Islamic State (ISIS), after the US-led coalition completely drove out the militants from the city earlier this week. In a statement issued on Friday, he added that the liberation of Raqqa marks a milestone in the global fight against ISIS, and underscores the efforts made so far in destroying the so-called caliphate.
"In January, ISIS was actively plotting terrorist attacks against our allies and our homeland in Raqqa. Nine short months later, it is out of ISIS’s control due to critical decisions President Trump made to accelerate the campaign," Tillerson said. "This also marks the beginning of a new phase in the Syrian conflict. Reducing violence in Syria will allow the United States, our allies, and partners to focus even more on advancing UN-led diplomatic efforts, within the framework of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, aimed at reaching a genuine political transition that honors the will of the Syrian people."
However, the US top diplomat stressed that the liberation of Raqqa doesn't mean that the fight against ISIS is over. "The Global Coalition will continue to draw on all elements of national power until all Syrians have been liberated from ISIS brutality and we can ensure that it can no longer export its terror around the world." he underlined, expressing his confidence that the Global Coalition will eventually defeat "this brutal terrorist organization."
