US and Iraqi officials pledged to keep working together and to build on the progress made over the past decade to ensure the enduring defeat of the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) in a series of meetings this week.

At the White House

Meeting at the White House on April 15, US President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani discussed the future of the US-led international coalition against ISIS, also known as Operation Inherent Resolve.

In a joint statement, Biden and al-Sudani said they discussed the "natural evolution" of the international coalition "in light of the significant progress that has been made in 10 years."

"They agreed that Iraq's security forces must be able to ensure that ISIS can never again reconstitute inside Iraq to threaten the Iraqi people, the region or the international community, including the United States," the statement said.

At the Pentagon

At the Pentagon, al-Sudani conferred with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the strategic US-Iraq defense relationship and Iraq's role as leader in ensuring regional security.

They discussed efforts to modernize the Iraqi Security Forces, including Kurdish Peshmerga forces, and build their capabilities, according to a joint statement.

"ISIS threatens international security, and Iraq, as a well-positioned and equipped partner, represents a linchpin in the campaign to defeat ISIS," the statement said.

Commitment to Iraq

The United States remains committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS through a broad range of train-and-equip activities supporting Iraqi security forces and vetted partner forces in Syria.

The Counter-ISIS Train and Equip Fund (CTEF) -- a biennial US appropriation designed to bridge partner force capability gaps -- provides targeted support to sustain partner force operations and increase vetted partner force capability.

In FY 2025, CTEF will provide Iraqi forces with approximately $380 million to conduct long-term planning, support joint operations and coordinated counter-ISIS activities -- an increase of about $138 million above the fiscal year 2024 request.

CTEF will be used in Syria to provide vetted partners with the equipment and supplies needed for ongoing counter-ISIS security.