Madame President,

Thank you for organising this meeting and we thank Under Secretary-General Voronkov for briefing us on this important issue.

Although DAESH has suffered major setbacks in Syria and Iraq, we have seen in the most horrendous circumstances, its capacity to stage attacks.

We believe that a three-pronged approach is needed to effectively tackle the threat posed by DAESH.

Firstly, genuine intelligence sharing is essential. DEASH remains a common threat to humanity and requires unified, coordinated strategies to eradicate it completely.

Secondly, the repatriation of foreign terrorist fighters is a necessary step in the fight against DAESH.

Not only will it disempower DAESH on the ground but it will have a ripple effect around the world as the repercussions for joining DAESH will be made clear in every country, and will thus impede future recruitment.

Thirdly, we must address the root causes of this conflict. Not only will this aid us in the fight against DAESH, but it will secure a sustained, lasting peace for the Syrian people.

DAESH and other terror organisations found fertile ground in Syria because the regime not only failed to protect its own people, but began attacking its own people.

All parties must wholeheartedly engage in the political process. A democratic constitution, and the implementation of universal human rights and freedoms will go a long way in preventing any resurgence for DAESH.

Madame President,

Since the outset of this fight, we have pointed to the persistent wrongdoings and ill-advised strategies. However our warnings were not heeded.

We have on countless occasions highlighted the mistake of sub-contracting a terrorist organization, namely the PKK/YPG dominated SDF to defeat DAESH.

It was clear from the beginning that their main objective was never to defeat DAESH. Their aim was ethnic cleansing.

While the regime contiues to attack its own people, terrorist organization PKK/YPG pursues the same evil agenda by committing war crimes in northern Syria.

As we mentioned here yesterday, the terrorist organization PKK/YPG continues to target civilians; recruits children; targets hospitals and medical centers; and kills humanitarian workers.

Madame President, these are textbook examples of violating international humanitarian law.

Yet, some actors in the region continue to reach out to these terror organisations to do their bidding.

There are no ‘good terrorists’.

Madame President,

Our concerns have been proven as in the latest development in Hasaka.

We have, on numerous occasions, here and in other fora informed the international community that DAESH members are being released in exchange for bribes and other objectives under unclear schemes.

This only consolidates its resurgence and compromises the security of the Syrian people, and neighboring countries.

The recent prison break and subsequent incidents have proved once again the unreliability of the PKK/YPG-dominated SDF.

We ask you, how did DAESH fighters manage to bypass purported checkpoints with car bombs in such a sensitive site?

How did they gain such a deep access inside this sensitive site?

We have warned the international community that the red carpet you roll out to terrorists would very quickly turn to a wave of blood.

The international community should not be blackmailed once again by the so-called SDF led by PKK/YPG.

Madame President,

Repatriation is the only viable way to bring foreign terrorist fighters to justice.

So-called local judicial process by SDF or attempts to create international mechanisms to put DAESH suspects on trial is both a flagrant breach of international law and a futile exercise to create some kind of a law system which does not have precedence.

We strongly encourage international community to engage in legitimate partnerships to achieve justice.

Madame President,

Our fight against DAESH is resolute.

Türkiye is the only country that has fought chest-to-chest with DAESH.

We have been an active member of the Global Coalition against DAESH since its inception and we have eliminated more than 4,500 DEASH members in Syria.

Just last year 236 DEASH members have been eliminated inside Syria as a result of operations conducted by Türkiye.

The Syrian National Army has been also fighting against DAESH in the areas controlled by the legitimate Syrian opposition.

Through cooperation with the legitimate Syrian opposition and countries in the region it is possible to defeat DEASH completely.

But to do so, we need everyone to get on board with this plan.

This needs to happen in tandem with our efforts to achieve a political settlement in accordance with Resolution 2254, and the work of Special Envoy Pederson which we hope will lead to the success of the Constitutional Committee.

We assure the Syrian people that Türkiye will not cease in its support to their pursuit of a democratic, secular, prosperous, safe and secure Syria.