Kerry calls for more financial contributions for fight against the Islamic State
- 8 years ago
Secretary of State John F. Kerry Tuesday called for more financial contributions from nations fighting the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq to rebuild towns destroyed by the fleeing occupiers.
At the opening of a conference in Rome, Kerry said $50 million from a stabilization fund had helped resurrect life in Tikrit, in Iraq, so that nine in 10 residents could return.
“Services have to be delivered, police have to work, schools have to open, there has to be stabilization,” Kerry said of the town retaken from Islamic State, which Kerry usually refers to by the Arabic acronym, Daesh.
The Rome conference, attended by foreign ministers from more than 20 of the 66 nations in a coalition to fight Islamic State, are gathering to assess progress that has been made.
So far, extremists have been ousted from 40 percent of territory they controlled in Iraq and 20 percent to 30 percent of the area they held in Syria.
At the opening of a conference in Rome, Kerry said $50 million from a stabilization fund had helped resurrect life in Tikrit, in Iraq, so that nine in 10 residents could return.
“Services have to be delivered, police have to work, schools have to open, there has to be stabilization,” Kerry said of the town retaken from Islamic State, which Kerry usually refers to by the Arabic acronym, Daesh.
The Rome conference, attended by foreign ministers from more than 20 of the 66 nations in a coalition to fight Islamic State, are gathering to assess progress that has been made.
So far, extremists have been ousted from 40 percent of territory they controlled in Iraq and 20 percent to 30 percent of the area they held in Syria.