The United States said it remains concerned about terror group ISIS-Khorasan's (ISIS-K) capabilities to plot, conduct attacks and sustain recruitment campaigns, particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
These remarks were made at the Security Council by Ambassador Dorothy Shea, Charge d'Affaires ad interim at the US Mission to the UN in her briefing on 'Threats to International Peace and Security by Terrorist Acts.' Shea also said "Countering ISIS and other terrorist groups around the world is a top priority for the Trump administration…President Trump's message is clear: The United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies." She noted that ISIS affiliates in Central Asia, most notably ISIS-Khorasan, also pose a significant global threat.
"We remain concerned about ISIS-K's capabilities to plot and conduct attacks, as well as sustain recruitment campaigns, particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan," she said.
In his remarks to the briefing, Under-Secretary-General United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov said that ISIL-K continued to pose a significant threat in Afghanistan, the region and beyond.
He said besides the attacks in Afghanistan, supporters of ISIL-K planned attacks in Europe and were aggressively trying to recruit new members from Central Asian States. "There were also reports of small numbers of foreign terrorist fighters continuing to travel to Afghanistan," Voronkov added.
He said, " Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recalled an appeal to all member states to unite in preventing Afghanistan from once again becoming a hotbed of terrorist activities. Remarks made by the Executive Director at the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) Assistant Secretary-General Natalia Gherman: beyond the Middle East, Da'esh "remains agile, taking advantage of ongoing conflicts and regions experiencing growing instability". Gherman made mention, notably, in her remarks, of the 'Delhi Declaration', adopted in the course of India's 2021-22 Security Council term, regarding the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes.
That was on account of the Delhi Declaration. The Counter-Terrorism Committee just last month adopted the non-binding guiding principles on "preventing, detecting and disrupting the use of new and emerging financial technologies for terrorist purposes", also known as the 'Algeria Guiding Principles', she said.
Prepared with the support of the CTED, highlighting the need for an integrated and risk-based approach, these guiding principles offer practical guidance to Member States, Gherman added.
In October 2022, the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), under India's chairmanship during the year, organized a Special Meeting in New Delhi and Mumbai on the overarching theme of 'Countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes'.
As a result of the special meeting, the Committee adopted the 'Delhi Declaration' on countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes.
India, during its 2021-22 tenure as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, had assumed the chair of the CTC in 2022.
The meeting of UNSC CTC was held on October 28 in Hotel Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, the site of the horrific 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and in Delhi on 29th of October, where the Delhi Declaration was agreed upon.
Shea further added that ISIS has increased the pace and deadliness of its actions in Sahel, and this region has become the world's hotspot for terrorist attack-related deaths. Accordingly, ISIS-Somalia, ISIS-Sahel, and ISIS-West Africa combined, as one terrorist entity, represents a tremendous threat to stability and prosperity in Africa. She held that the way to end terrorist attacks and all terrorist activities is by bringing individuals accountable for the said terrorist attack. "In this vein, we ask the members of this Council to act and accede to a listing more ISIL and al-Qa'ida affiliates under 1267 Sanctions Committee so that they be subjected to the worldwide asset freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo." It further challenged its Member States to take active, timely role, in reviewing, updating and applying UN 1267 sanctions with respect to countering ISIS and al-Qa'ida. "Money is the lifeblood of terrorists. We must bolster our collective efforts to stem the flow of funds to terrorists and terrorist groups," she said.
Voronkov further said that the terrorism landscape is evolving and demands collective, multilateral action, as terrorist attacks threaten life, well-being and the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals.
He voiced concern that despite steady counter-terrorism efforts by Member States, and international and regional partners, Da’esh continues to demonstrate resilience and adapt its modus operandi.
He added that the resilience of terrorist groups underscores the need for sustained international collaboration. Member States must prioritise comprehensive, long-term responses that address the conditions conducive to terrorism while strengthening the rule of law and upholding international human rights and humanitarian law.
"Terrorism remains a significant and evolving threat to global peace and security, one that no State can confront in isolation. Sustained multilateral cooperation remains essential to countering terrorism effectively," Voronkov said.
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