UN: Da'esh remains a serious threat in conflict zones

ISIL (Da'esh) terrorist group and its affiliates still pose a significant threat in conflict zones and countries located in the vicinity of such zones. However, in areas where there are no active conflicts the level of threat is low. This is what UN Under-Secretary-General of the Office of Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov told the members of the UN Security Council when presenting the Seventeenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da'esh) to international peace and security.

Voronkov noted that in some regions of Africa, the continued expansion of Daesh and related groups remains a matter of deep concern.

“The Da’esh affiliate in the Sahel is becoming increasingly autonomous and intensifying attacks in Mali, Burkina Faso and the Niger. The confrontation between this group and the al-Qaeda affiliate in the region, combined with the uncertainty after the coup d'état in Niger, is a complex and multifaceted issue,” Voronkov said.

Terrorist attacks have also increased in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he said, with continuing clashes between government forces and terrorist groups. In the east of the country, about 500 people died as a result of terrorist violence.

“Conflict and instability in Sudan have also renewed attention on the presence and activity of Da’esh and other terrorist groups in that country,” Voronkov said.

According to the UN Under-Secretary-General, the situation in Afghanistan is growing progressively complex, with fears of weapons and ammunition falling into the hands of terrorists now materializing. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan group has reportedly increased its operational capabilities and become more sophisticated in its attacks on the Taliban and international targets.

Voronkov also reminded about the dire situation in camps and detention facilities in north-east Syria that hold individuals with alleged links to Da’esh and other terrorist groups.