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Counter-Daesh Update
04 March 2021
Lead MP
Dominic Raab
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
Foreign Affairs
Other Contributors: 35
At a Glance
Dominic Raab raised concerns about counter-daesh update in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The safety and security of British citizens is prioritised by the Government in its work to tackle Daesh, which remains a significant terrorist threat. The UK continues as part of the Global Coalition against Daesh, providing military support, aid, and counter-propaganda efforts. Since Operation Shader began, over 120,000 Iraqi forces have been trained and more than $4 billion has been invested in the coalition's efforts. The UK maintains troops supporting Iraqi security forces, conducts routine reconnaissance missions, and engages in offensive cyber operations to degrade Daesh's capabilities. In response to recent attacks on coalition bases, the UK condemns these incidents and works with allies to protect forces and prosecute perpetrators. Over £3.5 billion has been spent since 2012 on humanitarian aid for Syria, while £272 million has supported Iraq’s stability and reform initiatives. The UK also leads efforts against Daesh's online propaganda, using offensive cyber capabilities to disrupt their communications and narratives. As the threat from Daesh evolves globally, the UK remains committed until it is consigned to history.
Lisa Nandy
Lab
Wigan
Question
The MP raises concerns over cuts to UK aid budgets, especially those related to conflict, stability and security. She also questions plans for dealing with British citizens detained in Syria and the impact of these on US-UK relations.
Minister reply
Dominic Raab confirms that there will not be a cut in numbers to armed forces when the integrated review is brought forward. He discusses ongoing threats from rockets targeting coalition bases, stating discussions are held about security measures but does not elaborate further.
Lisa Nandy
Lab
Wigan
Question
The MP asks for clarity on how planned aid cuts will affect the fight against Daesh and inquires if the Government plans to cut aid to Iraq and Syria, as well as when a new refugee resettlement scheme will begin.
Minister reply
Dominic Raab responds by emphasising the importance of stability funds but does not directly address proposed budget reductions or specific impacts on regional security efforts.
Lisa Nandy
Lab
Wigan
Question
The MP raises issues regarding British citizens in camps in north-east Syria and asks about alternative approaches to deal with the growing threat from Daesh, as acknowledged by President Biden.
Minister reply
Dominic Raab acknowledges concerns but does not commit to repatriation of UK nationals, instead focusing on preventing recruitment through resilience-building initiatives.
Lisa Nandy
Lab
Wigan
Question
The MP inquires about measures taken to protect British children from Daesh propaganda and the Government's assessment of Iranian destabilisation efforts in Iraq.
Minister reply
Dominic Raab reaffirms ongoing cyber operations targeting Daesh’s online presence, while stressing collaborative efforts with allies to address regional threats.
Lisa Nandy
Lab
Wigan
Question
Inquires about ongoing military operations, recent rocket attacks on coalition forces, future plans for armed forces in the integrated review, humanitarian aid cuts, and broader security threats. Raises concerns about foreign terrorist fighters, refugees, minors in camps, children targeted by propaganda, and Iran's activities.
Minister reply
Acknowledges cross-party support for military action against Daesh, reassures continued strategic focus on countering Daesh through the integrated review, and confirms ongoing work with Iraqi security forces. Emphasises importance of official development assistance despite budget constraints, discusses global resettlement scheme planning by Home Office, addresses prosecution pathway for foreign terrorist fighters, and highlights efforts to return unaccompanied or orphaned children from camps where feasible.
Thomas Tugendhat
Con
Tonbridge
Question
Queries about the importance of addressing Daesh's ideological influence alongside military action. Inquires about engagement with Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo and Jordan, commitment to rule of law and justice, and adherence to Yemen pledges.
Minister reply
Agrees on addressing ideology head-on and emphasises importance of engagement with regional partners like Egypt and Jordan. Discusses role of prosecution for convicted individuals involved in Daesh activities as a means to demystify romantic images associated with the group.
Alyn Smith
SNP
Dumbarton
Question
I thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement and express support for military action against Daesh. However, I raise concerns about reducing UK aid spending at this time and urge to freeze aid to Iraq and Syria. The Scottish National Party supports civil functions in the region to help create a stable society and calls for a national strategy against disinformation.
Minister reply
The Foreign Secretary thanked Alyn Smith for his support and emphasised the importance of humanitarian support in military action. He assured continued support to Kurdish partners both militarily and in their civil functions, acknowledging the need for a strategic approach in dealing with threats like misinformation.
Julian Lewis
Con
New Forest East
Question
Now that Daesh has lost its caliphate, long-term containment measures are required. What evidence do we have regarding Turkey's behaviour towards our Kurdish allies in Syria and Pakistan’s approach to Islamist terrorist movements?
Minister reply
Dominic Raab acknowledged the need for careful monitoring of both countries' approaches due to complex internal dynamics within their governments. He noted a recognition that there is a single global threat requiring collective action.
Layla Moran
Lib Dem
Oxford West and Abingdon
Question
Effective counter-terrorism strategies require addressing healthcare, education, governance, civil society, and reducing poverty. By cutting aid spending by £4.5 billion, what impact assessment has been made on counter-extremism efforts?
Minister reply
Raab emphasised that the UK remains a major donor in ODA terms, both generally and specifically in theatres affected by Daesh, rejecting the argument that reduced ODA will make the world less safe.
Question
Congratulating Karim Khan on his appointment as chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, what support does the Department provide to UNITAD in investigating Daesh crimes against Yazidis?
Minister reply
Raab thanked Laura Farris and stated that £2 million has been provided for UN investigative teams, supporting investigations of violence against minority communities and aiding witnesses and survivors.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
With the rise in religious violence due to the pandemic, what plans does the Secretary of State have to support vulnerable religious and ethnic communities suffering from increased attacks by Daesh?
Minister reply
Raab agreed that military action has scaled back Daesh’s control over territory, freeing up affected communities. The UK supports efforts towards accountability for crimes committed against Christians and other minorities through the UN’s International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism.
Question
Congratulating RAF aircrew based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus for their quiet bravery in conducting airstrikes without civilian casualties, how does the Secretary of State view their work?
Minister reply
Raab paid tribute to the RAF and other armed forces involved in operations, highlighting the importance of avoiding a backlash against interventions with precise attacks.
Question
Considering Daesh’s increasing influence in Afghanistan, what role does he envisage for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in future Afghan security policy?
Minister reply
Raab agreed to write to Jonathan Edwards about the organisation and stated that negotiations between the Afghan Government and Taliban must be influenced by conditions on the ground.
Question
Acknowledging the importance of the coalition in liberating territory from Daesh and supporting Iraqi security services, what role does my right hon. Friend see for this cooperation?
Minister reply
Raab agreed that pushing back on destabilising forces is crucial, focusing on building up the resilience of the Iraqi security forces to ensure long-term sustainability.
Question
In addition to winning the military war against Daesh, we must ensure that we win the peace, so it is bitterly disappointing that the Chancellor is pulling the UK back from its commitments to the most vulnerable, despite protestations across the world, the third sector and the political spectrum. Can the Secretary of State tell us what cuts will be forthcoming to programmes supporting communities ravaged by Daesh throughout the middle east and north Africa?
Minister reply
I understand the hon. Gentleman’s concern. We are a leader in ODA, and we will remain a leader in ODA. The precise allocations, which I think he is after, will be published formally, in the normal way, in September. It is worth noting that we have spent £3.5 billion in relation to the humanitarian response in Syria, which includes £1.7 billion on supporting Syrian refugees and host communities.
Bury South
Question
I applaud the Government’s continuing commitment to countering Daesh. However, Daesh is not the only destabilising regime in the region. Does the Foreign Secretary agree that there is more to be done through our allies and our own forces to combat the threat posed by Iranian proxy terror groups, including Hezbollah, which is financed and directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right. He will know that we proscribe the entirety of Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation, and we have an asset freeze in place against the whole organisation. The IRGC in its entirety is subject to UK autonomous sanctions. We will never let up and constantly look at how we can maintain our targeted and forensic approach to dealing with them militarily and the financial support that they get and thrive on.
Diana R. Johnson
Lab
Kingston upon Hull North
Question
How many of the 900 United Kingdom citizens who left the country to fight for and support Daesh have been brought to justice either in the United Kingdom or abroad for any offences they have committed?
Minister reply
I am happy to write to the right hon. Lady with the specific numbers that we have, but as I have said, our focus has been first and foremost on prosecuting in the region—where that is possible, that seems to be the right thing to do on jurisdictional grounds and for the victims—but also when they return.
Question
Médecins sans Frontières has just announced that one of its staff members has sadly been killed in the giant al-Hawl camp, which houses families of Islamic State fighters in Syria. That brings to 30 the number of people who have died in attacks in the camp. What are Her Majesty’s Government doing to contain the threat posed by this number of people in that location?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right: it is not just a strategic danger; we also have to think of the vulnerable people who are at risk. We are working closely with all our partners. Of course, those camps are a target not just militarily but for the warped propaganda and narrative that Daesh and others seek to sow.
Question
The Foreign Secretary is entitled to ask for and get the support for the military operations against Daesh, but does he agree that we also have to make sure that we challenge the conditions that allow for the rise and the existence of terror, wherever that is? What is he doing to lead an international coalition that guarantees support in those areas?
Minister reply
I agree with the hon. Gentleman: there is a whole range of international collaboration that goes on. I have to say that the principal cause is not some sort of underlying, opaque set of socioeconomic conditions; it is the fact that there is a tyrant in Syria, Daesh is feeding on the instability, and Iran is promoting proxies and militias in the region.
Question
I welcome the statement and the Government’s commitment to tackle the lingering threat of Daesh. On Monday, a Syria relief report was published finding that 99% of internally displaced people in north-west Syria have symptoms compatible with post-traumatic stress disorder, yet only 1% were aware of any mental health support available to them. Will the Foreign Secretary assure the House that the UK will continue to be a major donor to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and look carefully at support for mental trauma for victims of conflict?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We obviously focus on the material support—hygiene, water, sanitation and the like—but the scale of PTSD and wider mental health issues in those theatres, in the internally displaced persons camps, is legion.
Tan Dhesi
Lab
Slough
Question
The extremist ideology of Daesh needs to be dealt with. In light of the recent deployment of our troops to Mali, does the Secretary of State believe that the threat of Daesh is spreading and that our current foreign and defence policy is sufficient to protect ourselves from this threat?
Minister reply
Certainly the curtailment of the territory within which Daesh can operate in Syria has been important, but of course, like a Hydra, it can sprout limbs elsewhere. That is the key thing that we need to watch because, as other hon. Members have said, Daesh, or equivalent terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda or the successors to al-Qaeda, are looking for the underlying conditions, be it conflict or instability, to prey on.
Question
What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to crack down on the spread of Daesh’s influence across the globe and, in particular, what steps he is taking to cut off its financial resources?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend raises an excellent point. Whatever the perverse but romantic ideology Daesh spouts, it relies on cold, hard cash. That is why robbing and depriving it of territory, particularly in Syria, has been so crucial.
Alistair Carmichael
Lib Dem
Orkney and Shetland
Question
The Foreign Secretary is absolutely right that Daesh poses a global threat. Does he not agree that it is surely counterproductive to be cutting our aid to Yemen and continuing to supply arms to Saudi Arabia for their use in the conflict in Yemen?
Minister reply
We are still a world-leading donor in relation to Yemen. We have remained and will remain between third and fifth in terms of the top donors. As the right hon. Gentleman already knows but I am happy to repeat, we have a world-leading export licence regime that makes sure that anything that could be used for illegal purposes cannot be exported.
Mike Wood
Con
Kingswinford and South Staffordshire
Question
The Foreign Secretary is absolutely right that Daesh’s operations pose a threat not only to the people in north Africa and the middle east but to our own security in the UK. With that in mind, will he support the US’s targeted response against militia units and make sure that the UK stands alongside President Biden on such matters?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right and, as I have expressed in public statements recently, we have supported the action that has been taken, and we will always stand shoulder to shoulder with our American allies in tackling the militias, Daesh and all those who threaten our interests and our people.
Question
Pope Francis is due to visit Iraq in the coming days. It is the first visit of a pope in the country’s history and he is expected to visit some of the ancient Christian communities in the country who have suffered so greatly under the oppression and terror of Daesh. What specific measures are the Government undertaking to ensure that, as well as tackling Daesh directly, we are supporting the communities—Christian and other faith communities—who are at such risk from its violence and terror?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman raises a really important point. Of course, the UK is a member of the global alliance standing up for freedom of religious belief, both in Syria—I have mentioned the steps that we are taking to address the persecution of minorities—and in Iraq.
Gagan Mohindra
Con
South West Hertfordshire
Question
I thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement and I associate myself with the comments made about the excellent work of our armed forces in keeping us safe. Does my right hon. Friend agree that operations against Daesh, including Operation Shader, represent the best of international co-operation?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and it is important that we have a team effort in the struggle against Daesh, partly because of the severity of the threat that it poses and partly because of the amorphous nature in which it can appear.
Steve McCabe
Lab
Birmingham Selly Oak
Question
Will the Foreign Secretary give an assurance that Iran’s aggression and support for terrorism will be included in any discussions on a revamped Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right; that is a key aspect of addressing and dealing with Iran. We are all agreed—there is transatlantic solidarity and cohesion—not just on the importance of nuclear compliance but also on dealing with its wider destabilising activities.
John Howell
Con
Henley
Question
Does he think that this [the threat from Daesh] is not going to be solved until we have got rid of President Assad in Syria and have a regime in there that we can trust?
Minister reply
I totally agree with my hon. Friend that it is very difficult to see a scenario where Syria returns to peace, stability and some kind of normalcy with President Assad at the helm.
Khalid Mahmood
Lab
Birmingham, Perry Barr
Question
May I ask him—if he does not have the information, he can write to me—what numbers are being charged, what numbers are under control orders and what their status is when they come back?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman raises a very important point. I am happy to write to him about the numbers. Anyone who returns from Syria or Iraq who poses a threat to the UK is carefully monitored by the authorities, and appropriate action is taken.
Scott Benton
Con
High Peak
Question
Will my right hon. Friend set out what steps the UK is taking to prevent and deter Iran’s malign activities?
Minister reply
As I said in a previous answer, one element of those things is part of the so-called JCPOA-plus considerations. More generally, with all our partners in the region, we are looking at our resilience and the support we provide for those who are threatened by Iran’s activities.
Feryal Clark
Lab
Enfield North
Question
Will the Secretary of State join me in condemning Turkey’s support for militias?
Minister reply
Of course, Turkey has received a significant number of refugees itself. We have made clear our opposition to Turkey’s military operation in the north-east of Syria. At the same time, Turkey is an important NATO ally and a key partner.
Bob Blackman
Con
Harrow East
Question
What action is being taken to bring UK citizens who have gone to fight for Daesh to justice?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We want to see accountability and a deterrent effect. Our preference would be to have the crimes dealt with in the territory where those crimes were committed, but if we have evidence, we will prosecute them here at home.
Question
What consideration is being given to the convening of some form of international conference under the auspices of the United Nations?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to say that the new US Administration is actively engaged with partners. Ultimately, many challenges result from strategic tensions that need to be resolved through diplomatic initiatives.
Tobias Ellwood
Con
Bournemouth East
Question
What will we do about Yemen?
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend makes some really good points. The UK remains one of the leading aid donors and supporters of Martin Griffiths, the special envoy, and the initiative, and we will continue that support.
Shadow Comment
Lisa Nandy
Shadow Comment
Shadow Foreign Secretary supports the ongoing military operations against Daesh but expresses concern over cuts to the development budget and security funds. The humanitarian response forms part of the UK's security objectives, yet planned aid reductions raise concerns about long-term stability in Iraq and Syria. Questions are raised regarding British citizens detained in north-eastern Syria and their potential repatriation amid US frustration with the UK’s approach. The shadow also inquires about steps taken to protect children from Daesh propaganda and actions against Iranian destabilisation efforts in the region.
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