Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the strength of Daesh, and if he will make a statement.

The Government's assessment of Daesh has not changed significantly since my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary's statement to the House on 11 July 2018 (Official Report, column 973). The Coalition continues to target Daesh in the final pocket of territory they hold in north east Syria, which is approximately 1% of the territory they once held across both Iraq and Syria. Loss of territory has reduced their access to resources but Daesh remain a significant threat, including to Iraq from over the border with Syria. Through Coalition efforts, Daesh has lost thousands of personnel, but significant numbers of Daesh fighters remain in Syria and Iraq as well as in the surrounding region.

Daesh's intent remains to strike the West and Western interests. There remains a significant threat to our interests from Daesh's affiliates. The Government therefore continues its counter-Daesh efforts. We will continue to keep the House updated on the progress of the counter-Daesh campaign.