WASHINGTON –
The United States and its NATO partners intend to intensify efforts to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said today in Brussels.
At the opening of a counter-ISIS ministerial meeting at NATO headquarters, Mattis said the nations in the 28-member bloc are "united in this fight to defeat ISIS."
He thanked his defense counterparts for attending the session, saying the goal of the meeting is to "orchestrate the international pressure on our terrorist enemy and enhance the current counter-[ISIS] fight."
The defense chief called for a sustained effort.
"This is not something that will be over with quickly, but we certainly intend to accelerate this fight, one of the reasons we're here today is to lay this out to you," Mattis said.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg commended the efforts of the alliance members, saying ISIS and terrorism are among the most pressing challenges NATO faces.
"This coalition has an unwavering commitment to see this fight to its conclusion," he said, noting that is reinforced through the contributions by each of the nations.
Defeating ISIS “is a global generational challenge that requires a global generational response," Stoltenberg added.
(Follow Lisa Ferdinando on Twitter: @FerdinandoDoD)