The United Kingdom is a leading member of the Global Coalition against Daesh. The UK is a committed member across all five lines of effort: tackling Daesh’s economic infrastructure; preventing the flow of foreign fighters; supporting stabilisation and the restoration of public services; and the principal lead on countering Daesh’s propaganda.
The UK is a major contributor to the Global Coalition’s counter-Daesh mission under Operation Inherent Resolve. As part of its military contribution, the UK provides support and funding for a range of initiatives across the region, including providing training, mentoring and professional military education to the Iraqi Security Forces. The UK has trained over 111,000 members of Iraqi Security forces, including over 21,000 of the Kurdish Peshmerga.
The UK has invested significant economic and non-financial resources to supporting the member states of the Coalition. For instance, the UK has committed GBP 278 million in humanitarian assistance and GBP 140 million in stabilisation funding. In Syria, the UK has provided over GBP 3.8 billion in funding—the largest response to a single humanitarian crisis by any UK government.
The UK-based Counter Daesh Communications Cell, supported by the CWG co-leads the US and UAE, continues to conduct campaigns to undercut Daesh’s narrative and support communities vulnerable to the group’s damaging influence. The UK has played a key role in supporting the repatriation of the residents of Al Hol and Al Roj Camps in Syria, working closely with the UN on their medium-term strategy for Al Hol and in December 2022 co-hosting an international coordination conference to discuss improving the conditions in the camp. The Cell’s recent campaign, A Journey Home, to help with the repatriation of Iraqi and Syrian residents in Al Hol, has reached audiences of 40m.
The UK will continue to play a leading role in the fight against Daesh through supporting efforts to weaken the group as well as strengthening areas recently liberated from Daesh’s presence or at risk of Daesh expansion. In this role, the UK will continue to work closely with partners in theatres where Daesh has historically had a greater presence, as well as working towards greater cooperation to prevent Daesh’s attempts at expansion. The UK is keenly aware of shifting threat that Daesh pose in Africa and has been an early supporter of efforts to tackle Daesh there.
