The D‑ISIS (Defeat‑ISIS or Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS/Daesh) is an international, state‑led partnership launched in September 2014 to coordinate political, military, law‑enforcement and stabilization efforts to degrade and ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. It comprises 90 partner states and a number of regional/international institutions (e.g., EU, NATO, INTERPOL, Arab League); the U.S. State Department publishes a full member list by country and region.
The “Small Group” is a subset of the full Global Coalition made up of senior diplomatic and defence officials who meet more frequently to steer strategy, coordinate working groups (e.g., on terrorist travel, finance, Syria/Iraq) and operational priorities. It differs from the broader 90‑member coalition in size and function: the Small Group provides high‑level direction and rapid coordination, while the full coalition includes all partner states and institutions and supports broader burden‑sharing and implementation.
Third‑country repatriation typically requires (1) establishing individuals’ nationality/identity and securing consular agreement, (2) legal arrangements (entry/exit, judicial authority for prosecution or supervised return, documentation/visas), (3) security and criminal vetting, (4) logistical arrangements (transport, escort, temporary custody), and (5) post‑arrival procedures (prosecution or diversion, rehabilitation, social reintegration and monitoring). States have primary responsibility for their nationals but face legal, evidentiary and political hurdles; international guidance stresses human‑rights safeguards, child‑protection, and coordinated case management.
al‑Hol and Roj are large displacement camps in northeast Syria holding families of suspected ISIS affiliates; independent monitors and NGOs report overcrowding, poor services, disease risk, limited freedom of movement and ongoing security concerns. “Dignified reintegration” generally means safe, voluntary return or local integration with individual screening, protection for children, legal accountability where appropriate, access to basic services and livelihoods, trauma‑informed psychosocial support, and community reconciliation measures to reduce stigmatization and re‑radicalization risk.
Under the stated agreement cited in the Joint Statement, the Syrian government will assume national responsibility for detention facilities and displacement camps in areas it controls; in practice that means custody, security, camp management and processing of detainees/camp populations. Oversight/monitoring arrangements are not fully specified in the statement; international actors typically seek independent monitoring (UN agencies, ICRC, NGOs) and access agreements, but political and security constraints in Syria can limit transparent third‑party oversight.
Tom Barrack attended as U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and U.S. Special Envoy for Syria and co‑chaired the Small Group meeting; his role at the meeting was to represent U.S. diplomatic leadership on Syria, help negotiate and coordinate coalition engagement with Damascus and regional partners, and co‑chair proceedings. The Special Envoy post carries diplomatic authority to represent U.S. policy, convene partners, and negotiate arrangements, but any binding operational or legal commitments (e.g., troop deployments, transfers) require authorization through appropriate U.S. government channels and partner consent.