Combating Terrorism Should be Coordinated

 New York (ST)_ Syria is to pursue combating terrorism, including all Al-Qaeda affiliates whether it be ISIS or Al-Nusra front or others, Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moallem declared.

In a UN Security Council Ministerial meeting chaired by Mr. Sergei Lavrov of the Russian Federation, the Syrian Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Walid Al-Moallem added that the UN Charter assigns the responsibility of safeguarding international peace and security to the UN Security Council, wondering whether this Council had done anything against terrorism in Syria and in Iraq which spread to the rest of world countries.

What did the UN Security Council does to execute its resolutions against terrorism, particularly Resolutions 2170, 2178 and 2199! Or what it did as to compel the countries supporting, arming, training and financing terrorism to halt such acts against the Syrians’ blood, history, civilization, infrastructure and civilization!

Minister Al-Moallem pointed out that the terrorist organizations were mushroomed, proliferated and increased their barbarity following the issuance of the said UN anti terrorism resolutions.

 The US led international Alliance as to defeat Daesh in Iraq and contain it in Syria have instead of eliminating it increased its strength, arms, finance and barbarity because of the continued support, protection and finance for these organizations of terrorism, particularly from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other well known Western countries, Minister Al-Moallem added.

“He who wants to fight terrorism on the Syrian territories should coordinate and cooperate with the Syrian Government, whose Army and Armed Forces are waging the battle against terrorism and are doing their duty in defending the People against the terrorist organizations,” Minister Al-Moallem underscored.

Minister Al-Moallem pointed out that what France and Britain did of military acts over the Syrian territories was but flagrant violations of the United Nations Charter and of international law rules as well as flagrant aggression against Syrian Sovereignty.

Minister Al-Moallem lashed out at the silly talk of France representative to the session, voicing blessings and support to President Vladimir Putin’s on the creation of a regional and international alliance of which Syria is part as to fight terrorism.

We urge the region countries as to commit themselves to the execution of related anti-terrorism resolutions and join such alliance in defense of themselves against terrorism.

ISIS terrorists in Iraq, Syria have WMD components, Lavrov warns UN Security Council

Islamic State, Daesh terrorists are in possession of components for weapons of mass destruction, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned the UN Security Council meeting, urging that IS be included on an anti-terrorist sanction list as a separate subject.

“In the vast areas of Iraq and Syria, Islamic State has actually created an extremist quasi-state, which commands an efficient repressive apparatus, stable sources of income, well-equipped army and elements of weapons of mass destruction,” Lavrov said on Wednesday at the UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting in New York.

UNSC foreign ministers gathered to debate issues of international security and terror threats, focusing on the Middle East and North Africa, RT reported.

According to the Russian FM, the situation in the Middle East has “degraded even more” over the past year.

“The accumulation of crisis potential came close to the point where we can talk about the destruction of the political map of the region,” he said.

Lavrov stressed that Russia considers it necessary to put Islamic State on the UN Security Council’s anti-terrorist sanction list as “a separate subject.”

“Any delay in settling this evident issue is becoming counterproductive from the point of view of effectiveness of UN activities in counteraction of terrorism,” he said.

Moscow will submit a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on a joint international effort against the Islamic State threat.

“Today, I present a draft resolution to the members of the Security Council. It is based on documents previously adopted by the Council, with an emphasis on coherent counter-terrorism actions based on norms and principles of international law,” Lavrov told the gathering.

The Russian FM also pointed out that the migrant crisis in Europe can’t be solved without the creation of “a firm barrier to the aspirations of Islamic State to place the region under a medieval dictate.”

“It is not refugees that must be stopped, but terrorists and wars and conflicts begetting them,” he added.

The Russian Air Force conducted first airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria on Wednesday, with Lavrov saying that Moscow informed its Western partners of its actions.

“We have notified the US authorities and other members of the coalition created by the US and we are ready to establish permanent channels of communication to effectively combat terrorist groups,” he said.

The FM stressed the Russia’s involvement in Syria will be “exclusively” limited by an air operation.

On Wednesday morning, the upper chamber of the Russian parliament unanimously gave formal consent to President Putin to use the country’s military in Syria to tackle Islamic State and other terror groups.

The Russian air campaign in Syria is commencing just a few days after Putin’s address at the UN, in which he called for an international anti-terrorist effort in the country.

The Russian president also met with US counterpart Barack Obama on the sidelines of the 70th UN General Assembly, with the two leaders agreeing that Moscow and Washington have common interest in Syria.

8 ISIS targets hit during 20 combat flights in Syria – Russian military

Russia has struck eight Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) targets in Syria, the country’s Defense Ministry said, adding that civilian infrastructure was avoided during the operations.

 “Today, Russian aerospace force jets delivered pinpoint strikes on eight ISIS terror group targets in Syria. In total, 20 flights were made,” spokesperson for the Russian Defense Ministry, Igor Konashenkov, said.

“As a result, arms and fuel depots and military equipment were hit. ISIS coordination centers in the mountains were totally destroyed,” he added.

Konashenkov said that all the flights took place after air surveillance and careful verification of the data provided by the Syrian military. He stressed that Russian jets did not target any civilian infrastructure and avoided these territories.

“Russian jets did not use weapons on civilian infrastructure or in its vicinity,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the Russian military announced the start of air operations in Syria in order to help the government fight terrorist forces. Syrian state television named at least seven areas targeted by the air strikes.

They included areas around the cities of Homs and Hama, which are 44 kilometers apart, according to various media reports.

Some reports also alleged that Russian jets hit a Free Syrian Army-controlled areas.

The US said that Moscow warned them of its actions one hour prior to the flights. Russia also urged Washington to clear the skies for its operations, but the US said it would not comply.

“The US-led coalition will continue to fly missions over Iraq and Syria as planned and in support of our international mission to degrade and destroy ISIL (Islamic State),” US State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

Washington expects that conversations will take place with Moscow about operations in Syria.

Dr. Mohammad Abdo Al-Ibrahim

alibrahim56@hotmail.com