In many regions, the operational capacity of ISIL, or Da’esh, has been significantly reduced, according to a new United Nations report on terrorism. Nonetheless, there is a high risk of this terrorist group’s resurgence. That is especially true in West Africa and the Sahel, where ISIL groups are on the rise and operate with increasingly more autonomy. According to the report, should this trend persist, the Western Sahel from Mali to the borders of Nigeria could become unstable.
The United States “remain[s] particularly focused on the increasing terrorism threat across Africa outlined in the Secretary-General’s report,” said Robert Wood, United States Alternative Representative to the United Nations.
“We share his concern over developments in West Africa and the Sahel where the situation is deteriorating and becoming more complex with the prospect of greater instability. We continue to provide our African partners critical assistance in disrupting and degrading ISIS and al-Qa’ida affiliates in a manner consistent with international law,” he said.
We are, however, also concerned about the situation in Iraq and Syria, where an international coalition is working with local partners to address terrorist threats, said Ambassador Wood:
“Attacks on coalition forces, including over 170 attacks in recent months on U.S. forces by Iran-aligned militia groups, directly undermine the international community’s ability to prevent ISIS from reconstituting.”
It should be noted that repatriation of detained third country-national ISIL fighters and displaced persons who are being held in camps in northeast Syria “is the most durable solution to the crisis, and it is necessary to prevent ISIS’ resurgence in the region,” said Ambassador Wood. “We have seen an increase in repatriations over the past six months, especially by the Government of Iraq, and hope it is a sign of more to come.”
Finally, “Addressing conflict-related sexual violence is another U.S. priority.”
“We welcome UN entities’ designing effective strategies to prevent violent extremism that incorporate context-specific gender perspectives, as noted in the Secretary-General’s report. Addressing the threat posed by ISIS cannot be effectively done if women’s voices and those of marginalized groups are not elevated as part of the process to fight violent extremism,” he said.
“The fight against terrorism requires efforts beyond security-centered approaches,” said Ambassador Wood. “The international community must continue investing in whole-of-society approaches that respect human rights and the rule of law in order to effectively prevent and counter the spread of ISIS.”
