Statement from the President on the Liberation of ISIS-Controlled Territory

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 23, 2019 Statement from the President on the Liberation of ISIS-Controlled Territory I am pleased to announce that, together with our partners in the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, including the Iraqi Security Forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces, the United States has liberated all ISIS-controlled territory in Syria and Iraq—100 Percent of the “caliphate.” Just two years ago, ISIS controlled a vast amount of territory in both Iraq and Syria.  Since then, we have retaken more than 20,000 square miles of land and liberated millions of Syrians and Iraqis from ISIS’s “caliphate.”  ISIS’s loss of territory is further evidence of its false narrative, which tries to legitimize a record of savagery that includes brutal executions, the exploitation of children as soldiers, and the sexual abuse and murder of women and children.  To all of the young people on the internet believing in ISIS’s Propaganda, you will be dead if you join.  Think instead about having a great life. While on occasion these cowards will resurface, they have lost all prestige and power.  They are losers and will always be losers. We will remain vigilant against ISIS by aligning global counterterrorism efforts to fight ISIS until it is finally defeated wherever it operates.  The United States will defend American interests whenever and wherever necessary.  We will continue to work with our partners and allies to totally crush Radical Islamic Terrorists.