On February 9, 2026, senior diplomatic and defense officials from the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS/Daesh convened in Riyadh at a meeting of the coalition’s political directors. The session was co-chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Vice Foreign Minister Waleed A. Elkhereiji and Washington’s Special Envoy to Syria, Ambassador to Turkiye Tom Barrack (see joint statement text below). Syria participated in the meeting of the Global Coalition for the first time since the group’s establishment in 2014.
Syria’s participation in the meeting, which aims to combat the cross-border terror group (ISIS), marks a significant shift in regional and international counterterrorism efforts. The country became the 90th member of the coalition in November following Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s visit to Washington and his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The meeting resulted in a declaration of political cooperation, without military commitments, positioning Syria as a partner in efforts to combat Daesh and support regional stability. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani and intelligence chief Hussein Al-Salama attended the Riyadh meeting. Al-Shaibani said: “Our meeting today was constructive and fruitful, and we emphasized that supporting Syria is a shared responsibility to enhance security and stability.”
Progress on regional issues
Participants in the Riyadh meeting broadly welcomed the comprehensive agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — including arrangements for a permanent ceasefire and integration of SDF elements into Syria’s civil and military structures.
Another priority issue emphasized at the meeting was the swift transfer and safeguarding of ISIS detainees, repatriation of foreign fighters, and the dignified reintegration of families from camps like al-Hol and Roj. The coalition also reiterated its support for Iraq’s leadership in the campaign and urged continued coordination with both Damascus and Baghdad.
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The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Joint Statement on the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Meeting on Iraq and Syria
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosted a meeting of senior diplomatic and defense officials from the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS/Daesh in Riyadh on February 9, 2026. Saudi Vice Foreign Minister Waleed A. Elkhereiji opened the meeting, which was co-chaired by U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack.
Participants expressed their appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the meeting and for its continued role in supporting regional and international efforts to counter terrorism and promote stability.
Participants welcomed the comprehensive agreement between the Government of Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces, including the permanent ceasefire and arrangements for the civil and military integration of northeast Syria. They noted the Government of Syria’s stated intention to assume national leadership of counter-ISIS efforts and expressed appreciation for the sacrifices made by the Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against ISIS/Daesh. Participants also thanked the Government of Iraq for its continued leadership in the Defeat ISIS campaign.
The participants reaffirmed their priorities, including the swift transfer and safeguarding of ISIS detainees, third-country repatriation, the dignified reintegration of families from al-Hol and Roj camps to their communities of origin, and continued coordination with Damascus and Baghdad on the future of the Defeat ISIS campaign in Syria and Iraq. Participants welcomed the Syrian government as the 90th member of the D-ISIS Coalition. Coalition members underscored their readiness to work closely with the Syrian government and encouraged members to provide direct support to Syrian and Iraqi efforts.
Coalition defense officials highlighted the close coordination between diplomatic and military lines of effort. Participants received briefings on the current Defeat ISIS campaign, including ongoing detainee transfer operations. Officials commended Iraq’s efforts to securely detain ISIS fighters and welcomed Syria’s assumption of responsibility for detention facilities and displacement camps housing ISIS fighters and their family members. Participants reiterated the need for countries to take responsibility for and repatriate their nationals from Iraq and Syria.
Coalition members thanked Iraq for its leadership and recognized that the transfer of detainees into Iraqi custody is essential to regional security. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to defeating ISIS/Daesh in Iraq and Syria and pledged continued support to both governments in securing ISIS-affiliated detainees.
February 9, 2026