US Secretary of State warns mission to destroy terror group is ‘far from complete’ LONDON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday commended the “bravery and sacrifice” of Iraqi and Syrian forces on the second anniversary of the defeat of Daesh. However, Blinken said the mission to eradicate Daesh was “far from complete,” and the US and its global partners must continue to maintain pressure on the remnants of the terror group in the Middle East. “Two years ago, the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh, together with our local partners, liberated all territory controlled by Daesh in Iraq and Syria, a major milestone in the effort to ensure the terrorist group’s enduring defeat,” he said. “We commend the bravery and sacrifice of the Iraqi Security Forces, the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga, and the Syrian Democratic Forces in the hard-fought battles against Daesh. We continue to work alongside these partner forces to maintain pressure on Daesh remnants.” Blinken also said that nearly 8 million displaced people in the region had returned to their homes and had “begun rebuilding their lives” with the help of coalition stabilization support. “Since the defeat of Daesh’s fraudulent territorial ‘caliphate,’ the 83-member global coalition has continued its efforts to disrupt Daesh’s ability to organize, plan attacks, and recruit and radicalize online,” he said. “We have removed key Daesh leaders, and continue to pursue those remaining to prevent their resurgence and bring them to justice. “The global coalition remains united in its determination to see this enemy destroyed and will continue its efforts against the group in Iraq, Syria, and other countries. The US is firmly committed to the global coalition and to the lasting defeat of Daesh.”