Defeating Daesh

Bahrain yesterday affirmed its commitment to supporting the Global Coalition Communications Working Group against Daesh saying the Kingdom would stand with all the countries that fight violence and extremism of all forms. This came as Bahrain’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa delivered a statement commending the efforts of the Global Coalition against Daesh. The Global Coalition against Daesh was formed in September 2014 and is unique in its membership, scope and commitment.

It is committed to degrading and ultimately defeating Daesh. Beyond the military campaign in Iraq and Syria, the Coalition is committed to tackling Daesh’s financing and economic infrastructure; preventing the flow of foreign terrorist fighters across borders; supporting stabilisation and the restoration of essential public services to areas liberated from Daesh and countering the group’s propaganda. The meeting held in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London discussed the developments of the fight against Daesh in conflict and liberated areas amid its transformation into rebel groups with broad agendas in the presence of representatives from 79 countries and international organisations.

Participants also urged to come up with new strategies to combat terrorism and extremism, citing the increasing use of new age media tools by terrorist outfits. Bahrain, the ambassador explained, played the host of several important UN meetings to work on implementing its resolutions and help curb the danger posed by terrorist groups, particularly Daesh. Shaikh Fawaz referred to the national efforts aimed at aligning local laws with international resolutions to suppress terrorism and extremism worldwide.

Bahrain, he said, has highly specialised competencies in this field and welcomed the exchange of expertise with its partners to confront extremist ideologies and dry out their sources of funds. The participants affirmed the importance of benefiting from the different experiences of the coalition’s member states while taking into account Daesh switching their ways and tactics after the hard military blows received in conflict zones.

Daesh, according to the Coalition, will likely revert to an insurgency in Iraq and Syria, and the Coalition is supporting partners through training and equipping security forces, to deny Daesh any space to act.