The foreign ministers of the BRICS countries warned that the threat of terrorism may spread from Syria to other Middle East countries. This was stated in a declaration published by the Brazilian Foreign Ministry following a meeting of the heads of foreign affairs of the BRICS countries in Rio de Janeiro.

The document condemns the “continuation of terrorist activities” by affiliates of Islamic State and Al-Qaeda in Syria. They declared “the threat posed by the presence of foreign terrorists on Syrian territory” and “the risk of the spread of terrorists from Syria to countries in the region.” The foreign ministers emphasized that the Syrian authorities must “resolutely oppose all forms of terrorism and extremism.”

The ministers also reaffirmed their “commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Syria” and called for an “inclusive political process” under the auspices of the UN to ensure safety of the civilian population of Syria without any discrimination.