This archive report was first published on 15 November 2019.
Published on November 15, 2019, senior officials from over 30 countries gathered in Washington for a meeting proposed by France to discuss the campaign against the Islamic State group.
The meeting was prompted by President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, which allowed Turkey to launch an incursion against Kurdish guerrillas who had led the fight against the Islamic State group.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo emphasized the need for European countries to take back foreign fighters in their custody, stating, "we'll hold them to account."
However, Nathan Sales, the State Department's counterterrorism coordinator, acknowledged that there was a difference of opinion on how to resolve the issue, citing concerns about Iraq's ability to handle the burden of foreign fighters.
European nations, including France and Britain, have expressed reluctance to repatriate battle-hardened supporters of the Islamic State group, fearing they could pose a threat to civilians.
US officials also dismissed proposals for an international tribunal to try Islamic State fighters, citing concerns about cost and effectiveness.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian emphasized the need for lasting detention of extremists, stating that crimes committed in Iraq and Syria would not go unpunished.
US officials, including Pompeo, maintained that the US would continue to lead the coalition against the Islamic State group, despite criticism of Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Syria.
