Four major Western nations have agreed to urgently convene a meeting of the International Coalition against ISIS following fresh concerns over security at detention facilities in North East Syria.
The United Kingdom, United States, France and Germany issued a joint statement on Sunday after senior officials met to discuss the volatile situation in the region. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, French Foreign Minister Jean Noël Barrot, German Deputy Foreign Minister Serap Güler, and US Special Envoy Tom Barrack participated in the discussions.
The statement emphasised the critical need to prevent any security vacuum developing around ISIS detention centres, with the four governments calling on all parties in the conflict to maintain collective efforts against the terrorist organisation.
According to the joint declaration, the Western allies welcomed a 15-day extension to the ceasefire between Syrian Government Forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces, which was announced on 24 January. The nations urged strict adherence to the truce and called for maximum restraint from all involved.
The statement highlighted the establishment of humanitarian corridors designed to ensure safe delivery of assistance to affected populations. Officials stressed that these corridors must remain open and that essential services need to be restored in the city of Kobane.
All four governments recognised the contributions of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Syrian Government and the Syrian Democratic Forces in confronting ISIS-related challenges in the region.
The statement called for rapid progress towards a permanent ceasefire and urged parties to resume negotiations aimed at integrating North-East Syria into a unified sovereign state. These talks should be based on an agreement reached on 18 January 2026, according to the declaration.
The Western powers reiterated their backing for an inclusive political transition in Syria that safeguards the rights of all citizens. They described stabilisation of North-East Syria through peaceful means as a central priority for preventing terrorism from re-emerging and maintaining regional security.
The four nations confirmed their readiness to support and monitor implementation of any agreements between the parties, working alongside regional and international partners to ensure North-East Syria is peacefully integrated into an inclusive sovereign state.
