The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) marked the fourth anniversary of the liberation of Baghuz, the last ISIS-held settlement, in March 2019. Representatives of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS joined the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in celebrating the occasion in Deir-ez-Zor. 

Coalition officials reaffirmed their partnership with the SDF and its importance, saying, “We are fortunate to partner with the Syrian Democratic Forces in fighting the most dangerous organization in the world.” The importance of the enduring defeat of ISIS was emphasized, specifically defeating the ISIS cells that remain active and have been emboldened following the massive ISIS attack in Hasakah in January 2022. 

General Commander of the SDF, Mazloum Abdi, called for international responsibility on the ISIS issue, stating that the response has so far been “insufficient to eliminate the group, address thousands of detainees, and prevent ISIS resurgence.”