US launching operations in 'final' Daesh strongholds

The U.S.-led coalition against Daesh and its local partners are "launching operations to liberate the final ISIS [Daesh] strongholds in Syria," State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said Tuesday.

In a written statement, she said: "The fighting will be difficult, but we and our partners will prevail. We will defend United States, Coalition, and partner forces if attacked. The days of ISIS controlling territory and terrorizing the people of Syria are coming to an end."

The spokeswoman also highlighted that the U.S. would work with its NATO ally Turkey and other partners like Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon "to secure their borders from ISIS [Daesh]."

"We will seek further fair share contributions in forces, material, and resources from regional partners and allies to stabilize liberated territories," the statement added.

Nauert also recalled President Donald Trump's remarks in a recent meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, saying that the U.S. "will ensure that there is a strong and lasting footprint in Syria such that ISIS [Daesh] cannot return and populations liberated from ISIS [Daesh] are not exploited by the Assad regime or its Iranian supporters."

The spokeswoman said the U.S. "will reinvigorate the Geneva process under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254."

"The United States is committed to ensuring a future political settlement that honors the will of all Syrians, including Sunni Arabs, Kurds, Christians, Turkmen, and other minorities."

The U.S. has worked with the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) in its fight against Daesh. SDF is predominantly led by the PKK terrorist group's Syrian affiliate, People's Protection Units (YPG).

PKK and YPG are considered terrorist groups by Ankara, while only the former is listed as a terrorist group by Washington, making the U.S. support for the SDF a cause of tensions between Turkey and the U.S.