UNITED NATIONS, Aug 09 : ISIL or Da\u2019esh and its terrorist affiliates have expanded their activities and finances in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq as well as in several parts of Africa, resulting in a major spike in attacks and civilian fatalities, a senior UN counter-terrorism official has warned the Security Council.<\/p>\n
Vladimir Voronkov, head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), also highlighted the danger posed by ISIL-Khorasan, the Da\u2019esh affiliate in Afghanistan, resulting in heightened threat levels in Europe.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe activity of Da\u2019esh and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan remains a significant concern,\u201d he told the 25-member Council.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must unite to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a hotbed of terrorism,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
A United Nations (UN) report cited the attack by the group on the Crocus City Hall near Moscow that killed over 140 concert goers and wounded more than 500. ISIL-K also increased propaganda \u201cpossibly inspiring\u201d actors to attack \u201csoft\u201d targets, raising concerns at high-visibility sporting events, the report said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe group is considered the greatest external terrorist threat to the continent,\u201d Voronkov said.<\/p>\n
He underscored that terrorism continues to remain a significant challenge for the international community, one that no state can tackle alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo eradicate the terrorist threat, we need inclusive, multilateral responses that are firmly grounded on political strategies, compliant with international law and informed by all-of-society and all-of-government approaches,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n
The terrorism landscape in West Africa and the Sahel remains challenging and complex, with Da\u2019esh-affiliated groups expanding their areas of operation in the region and demonstrating resilience and adaptability despite sustained counter-terrorism efforts.<\/p>\n
Voronkov warned that should Islamic State West Africa Province and Islamic State in the Greater Sahel extend their influence in northern parts of West Africa and Sahel, a vast territory stretching from northern Nigeria to Mali could fall under their effective control.<\/p>\n
In other parts of Africa, Da\u2019esh affiliates stepped up their activities in northern Mozambique as well as in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.<\/p>\n
This has resulted in a \u201cdramatic increase\u201d in terrorist attacks and civilian fatalities.<\/p>\n
The Da\u2019esh-affiliate in Somalia also became stronger, swelling its ranks and enhancing its financial infrastructure.
\nThe second risk pertained to the resurgence of the Da\u2019esh core, which has claimed responsibility for ISIL-K\u2019s global attacks, aiming to use them for propaganda.<\/p>\n
In early January, Da\u2019esh launched a coordinated campaign across its self-proclaimed \u201cprovinces\u201d, including a surge of operations in Iraq and Syria, Mr. Voronkov said.<\/p>\n
He called for sustained counter-terrorism efforts to prevent the group from capitalising on these gains.<\/p>\n
Towards that end, he highlighted the need to address the \u201cdire conditions\u201d in camps and detention facilities in northeastern Syria, urging Member States to intensify efforts to repatriate their nationals from these camps.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 09 : ISIL or Da\u2019esh and its terrorist affiliates have expanded their activities and finances in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq as well as in several parts of Africa, resulting in a major spike in attacks and civilian fatalities, a senior UN counter-terrorism […]<\/p>\n
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