Global Coalition against Daesh

Global Coalition against Daesh
Name	Global Coalition against Daesh
Formation	2014
Type	International coalition
Headquarters	Brussels
Membership	80+ states and organizations
Leader title	Coordinator
Leader name	Brett McGurk
Purpose	Counterterrorism, stabilization, capacity-building

Global Coalition against Daesh The Global Coalition against Daesh is an international partnership formed to defeat Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Iraq and Syria, coordinate United States Department of State policy, and support stabilization in liberated areas. It unites states and organizations including members of North Atlantic Treaty Organization, partners from the Gulf Cooperation Council, and agencies such as the United Nations and the European Union to align military, intelligence, humanitarian, and diplomatic efforts.

Background and Formation

The Coalition emerged after the 2014 Northern Iraq offensive and the fall of Mosul following territorial gains by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the declaration of a caliphate by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, prompting international responses from leaders including Barack Obama, David Cameron, and François Hollande. Foundational meetings involved representatives from Iraq, Syria opposition groups, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and multilateral actors like the United Nations Security Council and European Council to craft a campaign integrating air strikes, training missions, and sanctions inspired by earlier coalitions such as the multinational efforts in the Gulf War and the counterinsurgency frameworks following the Iraq War (2003–2011).

Membership and Structure

Membership spans more than 80 states and organizations including United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Syria opposition groups, Libya, and regional bodies such as the African Union and Gulf Cooperation Council. Organizationally the Coalition coordinates through a diplomatic Steering Group, a Ministerial] level council, and a secretariat hosted in Brussels with liaison to the NATO Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum and the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve command elements, while legal and policy guidance has drawn on advisers from institutions like the International Criminal Court and the European Court of Human Rights.

Military Operations and Strategy

Coalition military activities have included coalition-led air campaigns, advisory missions, special operations, and equipment provision to local forces such as the Iraqi Security Forces, Syrian Democratic Forces, Kurdistan Workers' Party, and tribal militias. Notable operational episodes intersect with the Battle of Mosul (2016–17), the Siege of Kobani, the Battle of Raqqa (2017), and operations around Deir ez-Zor, coordinated alongside assets from United States Central Command, Royal Air Force, Armée de Terre, Bundeswehr, Australian Defence Force, and partner navies including the Royal Navy and United States Navy. Strategy combined aerial interdiction, targeting of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s leadership, disruption of ISIS finances through sanctions aligned with United Nations Security Council resolutions, and capacity-building that referenced doctrines from the US Army Field Manual and coalition lessons from the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

Counterterrorism and Intelligence Cooperation

The Coalition established intelligence-sharing mechanisms linking services such as the CIA, MI6, DGSE, BND, Mossad, GIP (Turkey), and regional agencies in Iraq and Jordan to coordinate targeting, counter-financing, and counter-recruitment efforts. Legal instruments and measures echo precedents from the Financial Action Task Force recommendations, UNSC Resolution 2178 (2014), and bilateral extradition treaties involving states like Iraq, Syria, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States. Programs included counter-radicalization initiatives informed by research from institutions such as the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism and academic partnerships with universities like Georgetown University, King's College London, and Johns Hopkins University to develop deradicalization curricula and track foreign terrorist fighter flows under frameworks similar to the Schengen Information System and national border controls.

Humanitarian Assistance and Stabilization Efforts

Humanitarian work coordinated by Coalition members involved the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF, World Food Programme, and NGOs such as Médecins Sans Frontières, International Rescue Committee, Save the Children, and Oxfam to address displacement from battles including Mosul and Raqqa. Stabilization programs emphasized rebuilding local governance, repair of infrastructure damaged during operations referenced in post-conflict plans similar to Marshall Plan frameworks, and support for refugee-hosting states like Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey through pledges at donor conferences involving World Bank and International Monetary Fund engagements.

Political and Diplomatic Initiatives

Diplomatic efforts linked Coalition activity to negotiations in forums such as the Geneva peace talks on Syria, the Astana talks, and consultations at the United Nations General Assembly and the European Council. The Coalition sought to coordinate with regional actors including Iran, Russia, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia where feasible, while supporting local political processes for post-conflict governance that drew on models from the Iraqi Transitional Government era and comparative peacebuilding practices from Sierra Leone and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Criticism, Controversies, and Legal Issues

The Coalition faced criticism regarding civilian casualties documented by organizations like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and reporting by The New York Times and The Guardian; controversies included incidents such as the Hawija bombing debates, disputes over sovereignty with Baghdad and Damascus, and legal challenges related to detention facilities comparable to Guantanamo Bay controversies. Questions about arms transfers, proportionality, rules of engagement tied to doctrines such as the Law of Armed Conflict, and the handling of foreign terrorist fighters returned to countries including France, Germany, Belgium, and United Kingdom prompted litigation, parliamentary inquiries, and scrutiny from bodies like the European Court of Human Rights and national judiciaries.

Category:International coalitions