KOBANI -- High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Federica Mogherini, said on Sunday that the IS defeat in Raqqa was a ‘decisive step towards eliminating the threat of Da’esh in Syria and Iraq’.



“The occupation of Raqqa by Daesh has finally come to an end thanks to the joint efforts of the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Global Coalition to counter Da'esh. The liberation of Raqqa city is a decisive step towards eliminating the threat of Da’esh in Syria and Iraq and freeing their people from its arbitrary rule,” she said.



As a non-military member of the global coalition against IS, The European Union, according to Mogherini actively aided the Syrian democratic forces by assisting civilians in war, and providing donations of humanitarian support. In addition to this, the EU also assisted the flow of humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable populations, and did its best to ensure that rules of engagement corresponded to the edicts of International law.



Now Mogherini feels that there is an important role for the EU in the reconstruction of Raqqa after the fall of IS, calling for ‘swift action’ in the upcoming months.



The EU office for Foreign Affairs and Security policy believes in the necessity of administration building by supporting the “re-establishment of a representative and accountable local administration”, and of creating a safe environment by constructing mechanisms to ensure the safe return of IDP’s.



She also expressed concerns about the potential of a resurgence in extremist beliefs if these mechanisms were not put in place as soon as possible.



“A lasting peace in Syria will be achieved only through a national political agreement brokered by the United Nations in Geneva,” she concluded.



Raqqa officials have called for more support from the international community to support Raqqa after it was heavily damaged by the fighting, with a large part of the city destroyed.



On Friday, during a celebration ceremony by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Layla Mohammed, the co-chair of the Raqqa Civil Council congratulated the world on behalf of the defeat of ISIS in Raqqa, and called on the international community to back the reconstruction in Raqqqa.



“We must remind the countries of the Coalition and some countries that love peace and especially the Arab countries to take their historic responsibility to invest in our region, which was largely destroyed when we defended our people,” she said in name of the Raqqa Civil Council.