The US-led coalition to defeat the Islamic State convened a virtual meeting today to discuss the fight against the remnants of the terrorist group.

“The political directors agreed to maintain maximum pressure on [IS] despite the several and multifaceted challenges, including those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to achieve the enduring defeat of the terrorist group in Iraq and Syria and to remain vigilant against the threat of [IS] around the world,” the coalition said in a join statement. “In particular, the political directors agreed upon the importance of maintaining and allocating adequate military and civilian means and resources to sustain coalition efforts in Iraq and Syria, including providing support to legitimate partner forces, in order to safeguard our collective security efforts.”

Why it matters: While the coronavirus pandemic has forced the US-led coalition to scale back some of its operations, today’s meeting is intended to signal that the United States remains committed to continuing support for its partners in Iraq and Syria to continue the fight against remaining IS cells. The coalition announced last month that the pandemic has forced “temporary adjustments” to the anti-IS fight. Specifically, Iraqi security forces suspended all training with coalition forces to help stem the spread of COVID-19, prompting some of the roughly 5,000 troops stationed in Iraq to return home.

What’s next: The coalition’s joint statement today noted that the training, “temporarily suspended due to the pandemic, will resume as conditions permit.” However, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced last week that Washington and Baghdad will convene a strategic dialogue in June to discuss the future US troop presence and other issues in the bilateral relationship. Iranian-backed militias in Iraq have attacked US personnel and killed Americans. The United States assassinated Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Iraq on January 3. There remains a shared US-Iraq consensus on the need for cooperaton against IS. The coalition also said it would convene at the ministerial level in Italy “as soon as conditions allow.”