Merve Aydogan
12 February 2025•Update: 12 February 2025
HAMILTON, Canada
The US on Wednesday reiterated its call for international partners to take greater responsibility for displaced persons and detained Daesh/ISIS terrorists in Syria, emphasizing that "this assistance cannot last forever."
Dorothy Shea, US charge d’affairs ad interim for UN, told a UN Security Council that "since the territorial defeat of ISIS, US assistance has played a vital role in managing and securing Al-Hol and Roj displaced persons camps in northeast Syria, and, critically, Syrian Democratic Forces-managed facilities detaining thousands of ISIS fighters."
However, she stressed that "the United States has shouldered too much of this burden for too long" and "ultimately, the camps cannot remain a direct US financial responsibility."
Shea's remarks come amid US President Donald Trump administration's decision to suspend foreign aid.
Warning about Iran’s allegedly continuing interference in Syria, Shea said that "warning signs of Iran’s nefarious influence and intent to reestablish its presence in Syria are clear."
She urged the international community to "call on Iran to stop undermining Syria’s stability and security."
She further noted concerns over new armed groups in Syria, which she said are "inciting violence, including by seeking to draw Israel into direct conflict" with alleged financial and logistical support from Iran.
Hailing the approval of the UN to resume humanitarian aid deliveries through the Bab al-Hawa crossing, Shea urged further engagement with the Independent Institution on Missing Persons (IIMP) in Syria to help families find answers about their missing loved ones.
"We remain in close touch with our allies and partners and emphasize the importance of reaching stability in Syria to make our country and the region more secure," she said.
