Having wrapped up a “successful” Middle East trip to shore up support for US President Barack Obama’s game plan against the Islamic State, Secretary of State John Kerry said he was “encouraged” by the cooperation offered by the nations to fight the IS militarily.
According to a BBC report, some 40 nations, including 10 Arab states have agreed to be a part of the US-led anti-Islamic State coalition and have also offered military assistance.
The key highlight of Kerry’s Mideast tour is said to be a communique signed in Jeddah by 10 Sunni Arab governments, who have wowed to contribute their share to fight the IS, adds the report.
The ten Arab states that have agreed to join US in fighting the IS are – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.
Highlighting Kerry’s success in talks with the Gulf States, US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki also tweeted the clip of a Jeddah newspaper, with “US-Arab coalition vows to crush IS” in bold headlines.
Kerry, who claims having won “full-throated” support from Sunni governments, will on Monday be meeting foreign ministers from dozens of countries in Paris to discuss how to rein in the IS, added the BBC.
The Paris conference will also be hosted by Iraqi President Fouad Massoum. And British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond will be one of the key figures attending the talks.
Efforts to stitch up an international anti-IS coalition picked up momentum after the IS released beheading videos of two US journalists and the Paris talks come just a day after the IS posted another video on Sunday, showing the beheading of British aid worker David Haines.
