Security Council

7242^nd Meeting* (PM)

Security Council Adopts Resolution 2170 (2014) Condemning Gross, Widespread Abuse

Of Human Rights by Extremist Groups in Iraq, Syria

 

Text Places Sanctions on Individuals Associated with those Organizations

Calling on all United Nations Member States to act to suppress the flow of foreign fighters, financing and other support to Islamist extremist groups in Iraq and Syria, the Security Council this afternoon put six persons affiliated to those groups on its terrorist sanctions list.

Through the unanimous adoption of resolution 2170 (2014), under the binding Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council condemned in the strongest terms what it called “gross, systematic and widespread abuse” of human rights by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) and Al-Nusra Front.  In an annex to the text, it named the individuals subject to the travel restrictions, asset freezes and other measures targeted at Al-Qaida affiliates.  [Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of ISIL, was not among the six because he has been listed since 2011].

It called on Member States to take national measures to prevent fighters from travelling from their soil to join the groups, reiterating obligations under previous counter-terrorism resolutions to prevent the movement of terrorists, as well as their supply with arms or financial support.  It expressed readiness to consider putting on the sanctions list those who facilitated the recruitment and travel of foreign fighters.

Through the resolution, the Council demanded that ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and all other entities associated with Al-Qaida cease all violence and terrorist acts, and immediately disarm and disband.  Recalling that their attacks against civilians on the basis of ethnic or religious identity might constitute crimes against humanity, it stressed the need to bring those perpetrators, including foreign fighters, to justice.

The Council directed the sanctions monitoring team to report on the continuing threat posed by ISIL and the Front, and their sources of arms, funding, recruitment and demographics, and to present recommendations within 90 days to further address the threat.

Following action on the text, its adoption was welcomed by representatives of Council members United Kingdom, Russian Federation, United States, Australia, Jordan, China, France, Chad and Chile along with the representatives of Iraq and Syria.  All underlined the dire threat posed by ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and other extremist groups to the region and the world and called for further firm Council action to deal with them.

Syria's representative said his country had been fighting such terrorists for the past three years, while others in the region had been supporting those groups.  Jordan's representative maintained, however, that terrorism in Syria had been exacerbated by Syria's marginalization of moderate opposition groups.

Iraq's representative, describing atrocities committed by ISIS in its sweep across his country, thanked States that had come to its aid during the crisis.  Greater regional and international cooperation were needed to end the threat.

The meeting began at 3:05 p.m. and ended at 3:55 p.m.

Statements

MARK LYALL GRANT (United Kingdom), speaking in his national capacity, welcomed the unanimous adoption of the resolution, noting that the Council showed strong support and a clear sense of unity by agreeing on the Chapter VII text so quickly.  The text sent a clear political message to those terrorist groups.  The threat posed by them was growing and had undermined security of the people in Iraq and Syria and in the region.  He expressed concern about those groups' appalling violence against women and children.  The resolution provided an additional framework to oppose and counter those acts.  There was no impunity for those committing violence.  The Council would not stand idle.

PETR V. ILIICHEV ( Russian Federation) said he supported the resolution based on the need to counter terrorism.  His Government repeatedly condemned terrorism.  The text would help the Governments of Iraq and Syria counter that scourge.  But, it should not be taken as approval for military action.  He also expressed concern about the Council's departure from its normal procedure to name individuals on the sanctions list, which was usually vetted by its subsidiary body.  He voted in favour in the spirit of cooperation, but expressed reservation about some language that seems to distort the scope of international humanitarian law.

SAMANTHA POWER ( United States), describing a dangerous "new front" of terrorism represented by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) and others, said that the resolution expressed the Council's willingness to take action against those groups and their supporters.  She urged all Member States to adopt measures to suppress support to the groups and end their atrocities.  Noting her country's actions in the past week to relieve the plight of persons displaced by the groups, she welcomed political progress in Iraq and called for all countries to support that country in its fight against terrorism.

GARY FRANCIS QUINLAN ( Australia) said that today's resolution showed the Council's intention to confront ISIL and other extremists.  Noting that his country had joined in the airdrops to displaced persons and was strengthening its counter-terrorism architecture, he called on the entire international community to come together to fight the scourge by taking action to prevent fighters and other support from arriving in the region.  It was crucial for the Council to keep firmly on top of the situation.

MAHMOUD HMOUD ( Jordan), condemning what he called the "barbarous" actions of the extremist groups and their supporters, said that international solidarity was needed to fight them.  He underlined the importance of political progress in Iraq that recognized the rights of all Iraqis as the most effective way to fight terrorism in the country.  He stressed that ISIS and the other groups did not represent Sunnis in the country.  In addition, he maintained that the main cause of the crisis in Syria was not terrorism but the marginalization of legitimate opposition groups, which had exacerbated the terrorist threat.  His country would continue to promote cooperation at the regional and international level to fight terrorism.

LIU JIEYI ( China) highlighted provisions in the text relating to the use of the information and communications technology, such as the Internet and social media, in recruiting foreign fighters, inciting violence and raising funds.  He also welcomed sanctions to be imposed against those using such technologies to achieve those purposes.

ALEXIS LAMEK ( France) welcomed the text as taking the fight against terrorism further.  It represented a new milestone in addressing the spread of terrorism by those groups.  Listing the six individuals was a decisive step.  He welcomed the appointment of the new Iraqi Prime Minister and expressed hope that a lasting solution could be found as Iraq faced a crucial moment.

MAHAMAT ZENE CHERIF ( Chad) stressed the seriousness of the threat of international terrorism and welcomed today's resolution in that context, noting that it did not associate terrorism with any religion.  He also welcomed recent political progress in Iraq as important in the efforts unite that country against the extremists.

CRISITAN BARROS ( Chile) stressed the urgent need to end the attacks by ISIL and all terrorism in the region and underscored that all countries should to take measures to stop all support for terrorist groups.  He also underlined the importance of protecting minority rights in Iraq's region and around the world.

BASHAR JA'AFARI (Syria), calling today's adoption "important", stressed that ISIS and other groups had no connection with Islam or the heritage of the region.  He said that Syria had been beset with the crimes of such groups for the past three year, and had been fighting them, while influential States in the region and elsewhere had continued their support for the groups while portraying them as moderate opposition.

His Government had long been trying to call attention to the crimes of those organizations, he went on to say.  The sales of Syrian oil by the groups had been ignored, as well as the traversing of their personnel and resources through Turkey and other countries.  Had his warnings been acted on, there might be no need now to deal with the growing threat.  He called on the Council, in the future, to consult with his country and others in the region in order to make its actions against terrorism effective.  Furthermore, efforts should be made to fight media that encouraged extremist ideologies.

MOHAMED ALI ALHAKIM (Iraq) described how ISIL and other terrorist groups were carrying out violent acts, including ethnic cleansing, targeting unarmed civilians, conducting horrible massacres, recruiting children, destroying places of worship and persecuting religious communities and minorities.  Those acts had resulted in a massive exodus of peaceful families.  His Government was mobilizing material and logistical resources to ease the plight of displaced persons.  He highlighted the need to strengthen border control as terrorism was borderless, as well as the importance of cooperation of neighbouring countries through the adoption of national measures.  The dissemination of documents containing wrong ideologies and inciting violence, as well as financing to those terrorist groups should be forbidden.

Resolution

The text of resolution 2170 (2014) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Reaffirming its resolutions 1267 (1999), 1373 (2001), 1618 (2005), 1624 (2005), 2083 (2012), 2129 (2013), 2133 (2014), 2161 (2014) and its relevant Presidential Statements,

“Reaffirming the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Republic of Iraq and Syrian Arab Republic, and reaffirming further the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

“Reaffirming that terrorism in all forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivations, whenever and by whomsoever committed,

“Expressing its gravest concern that territory in parts of Iraq and Syria is under the control of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al Nusrah Front (ANF) and about the negative impact of their presence, violent extremist ideology and actions on stability in Iraq, Syria and the region, including the devastating humanitarian impact on the civilian populations which has led to the displacement of millions of people, and about their acts of violence that foment sectarian tensions,

“Reiterating its condemnation of ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida for ongoing and multiple criminal terrorist acts aimed at causing the deaths of civilians and other victims, destruction of property and of cultural and religious sites, and greatly undermining stability, and recalling that the asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo requirements in paragraph 1 of resolution 2161 (2014) apply to ISIL, ANF, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities associated with Al-Qaida,

“Reaffirming that terrorism, including the actions of ISIL, cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, or civilization,

“Stressing that terrorism can only be defeated by a sustained and comprehensive approach involving the active participation and collaboration of all States, and international and regional organizations to impede, impair, isolate and incapacitate the terrorist threat,

“Reaffirming that Member States must ensure that any measures taken to combat terrorism, including while implementing this resolution, comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and international humanitarian law, and underscoring that effective counter-terrorism measures and respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are complementary and mutually reinforcing, and are an essential part of a successful counter-terrorism effort, and notes the importance of respect for the rule of law so as to effectively prevent and combat terrorism,

“Reaffirming that those who have committed or are otherwise responsible for violations of international humanitarian law or violations or abuses of human rights in Iraq and Syria, including persecution of individuals on the basis of their religion or belief, or on political grounds, must be held accountable,

“Gravely concerned by the financing of, and financial and other resources obtained by, ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities associated with Al-Qaida, and underscoring that these resources will support their future terrorist activities,

“Strongly condemning incidents of kidnapping and hostage-taking committed by ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida for any purpose, including with the aim of raising funds or gaining political concessions, expressing its determination to prevent kidnapping and hostage-taking committed by terrorist groups and to secure the safe release of hostages without ransom payments or political concessions, in accordance with applicable international law, calling upon all Member States to prevent terrorists from benefiting directly or indirectly from ransom payments or from political concessions and to secure the safe release of hostages, and reaffirming the need for all Member States to cooperate closely during incidents of kidnapping and hostage-taking committed by terrorist groups,

“Expressing concern at the flow of foreign terrorist fighters to ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, and the scale of this phenomenon,

“Expressing concern at the increased use, in a globalized society, by terrorists and their supporters of new information and communication technologies, in particular the Internet, for the purposes of recruitment and incitement to commit terrorist acts, as well as for the financing, planning and preparation of their activities, and underlining the need for Member States to act cooperatively to prevent terrorists from exploiting technology, communications and resources to incite support for terrorist acts, while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and in compliance with other obligations under international law,

“Condemning in the strongest terms the incitement of terrorist acts and repudiating attempts at the justification or glorification (apologie) of terrorist acts that may incite further terrorist acts,

“Underlining the primary responsibility of Member States to protect civilian population on their territories, in accordance with their obligations under international law,

“Urging all parties to protect the civilian population, in particular women and children, affected by the violent activities of ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, especially against any form of sexual violence,

“Reaffirming the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law, including applicable international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, stressing in this regard the important role the United Nations plays in leading and coordinating this effort,

“Noting with concern the continued threat posed to international peace and security by ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, and reaffirming its resolve to address all aspects of that threat,

“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

“1.   Deplores and condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist acts of ISIL and its violent extremist ideology, and its continued gross, systematic and widespread abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law;

“2.   Strongly condemns the indiscriminate killing and deliberate targeting of civilians, numerous atrocities, mass executions and extrajudicial killings, including of soldiers, persecution of individuals and entire communities on the basis of their religion or belief, kidnapping of civilians, forced displacement of members of minority groups, killing and maiming of children, recruitment and use of children, rape and other forms of sexual violence, arbitrary detention, attacks on schools and hospitals, destruction of cultural and religious sites and obstructing the exercise of economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to education, especially in the Syrian governorates of Ar-Raqqah, Deir ez-Zor, Aleppo and Idlib, in northern Iraq, especially in Tamim, Salaheddine and Niniveh Provinces;

“3.   Recalls that widespread or systematic attacks directed against any civilian populations because of their ethnic or political background, religion or belief may constitute a crime against humanity, emphasizes the need to ensure that ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida are held accountable for abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, urges all parties to prevent such violations and abuses;

“4.   Demands that ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida cease all violence and terrorist acts, and disarm and disband with immediate effect;

“5.   Urges all States, in accordance with their obligations under resolution 1373 (2001), to cooperate in efforts to find and bring to justice individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida including ISIL and ANF who perpetrate, organize and sponsor terrorist acts and in this regard underlines the importance of regional cooperation;

“6.   Reiterates its call upon all States to take all measures as may be necessary and appropriate and in accordance with their obligations under international law to counter incitement of terrorist acts motivated by extremism and intolerance perpetrated by individuals or entities associated with ISIL, ANF and Al-Qaida and to prevent the subversion of educational, cultural, and religious institutions by terrorists and their supporters;

Foreign Terrorist Fighters

“7.   Condemns the recruitment by ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida of foreign terrorist fighters, whose presence is exacerbating conflict and contributing to violent radicalization, demands that all foreign terrorist fighters associated with ISIL and other terrorist groups withdraw immediately, and expresses its readiness to consider listing those recruiting for or participating in the activities of ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida under the Al-Qaida sanctions regime, including through financing or facilitating, for ISIL or ANF, of travel of foreign terrorist fighters;

“8.   Calls upon all Member States to take national measures to suppress the flow of foreign terrorist fighters to, and bring to justice, in accordance with applicable international law, foreign terrorist fighters of, ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, reiterates further the obligation of Member States to prevent the movement of terrorists or terrorist groups, in accordance with applicable international law, by, inter alia, effective border controls, and, in this context, to exchange information expeditiously, improve cooperation among competent authorities to prevent the movement of terrorists and terrorist groups to and from their territories, the supply of weapons for terrorists and financing that would support terrorists;

“9.   Encourages all Member States to engage with those within their territories at risk of recruitment and violent radicalization to discourage travel to Syria and Iraq for the purposes of supporting or fighting for ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida;

“10.  Reaffirms its decision that States shall prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer to ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida from their territories or by their nationals outside their territories, or using their flag vessels or aircraft, of arms and related materiel of all types including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts for the aforementioned, and technical advice, assistance or training related to military activities, as well as its calls for States to find ways of intensifying and accelerating the exchange of operational information regarding traffic in arms, and to enhance coordination of efforts on national, subregional, regional and international levels;

Terrorist Financing

“11.  Reaffirms its resolution 1373 (2001) and in particular its decisions that all States shall prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist acts and refrain from providing any form of support, active or passive, to entities or persons involved in terrorist acts, including by suppressing recruitment of members of terrorist groups and eliminating the supply of weapons to terrorists;

“12.  Recalls its decision in resolution 2161 (2014) that all States shall ensure that no funds, financial assets or economic resources are made available, directly or indirectly for the benefit of ISIL, ANF or any other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, by their nationals or by persons within their territory, and reaffirms its decision in resolution 1373 (2001) that all States shall prohibit their nationals or any persons and entities within their territories from making any funds, financial assets or economic resources or financial or other related services available, directly or indirectly, for the benefit of persons who commit or attempt to commit or facilitate or participate in the commission of terrorist acts, or for the benefit of entities owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such persons and of persons and entities acting on behalf of or at the direction of such persons;

“13.  Notes with concern that oilfields and related infrastructure controlled by ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, are generating income which support their recruitment efforts and strengthen their operational capability to organize and carry out terrorist attacks;

“14.  Condemns any engagement in direct or indirect trade involving ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, and reiterates that such engagement could constitute financial support for entities designated by the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) (“the Committee”) and may lead to further listings by the Committee;

“15.  Emphasizes the importance of all Member States complying with their obligation to ensure that their nationals and persons within their territory do not make donations to individuals and entities designated by the Committee or those acting on behalf of or at the direction of designated entities;

“16.  Expresses its concern that aircraft or other transport departing from territory controlled by ISIL could be used to transfer gold or other valuable items and economic resources for sale on international markets, or to make other arrangements that could result in violations of the asset freeze;

“17.  Confirms that the requirements in paragraph 1 (a) of resolution 2161 (2014) shall also apply to the payment of ransoms to individuals, groups, undertakings or entities on the Al-Qaida Sanctions List, regardless of how or by whom the ransom is paid;

Sanctions

“18.  Observes that ISIL is a splinter group of Al-Qaida, recalls that ISIL and ANF are included on the Al-Qaida sanctions list and in this regard, expresses its readiness to consider listing individuals, groups, undertakings and entities providing support to ISIL or to ANF, including those who are financing, arming, planning or recruiting for ISIL or ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida through information and communications technologies including the internet and social media or through any other means;

“19.  Decides that the individuals specified in Annex I of this resolution shall be subject to the measures imposed in paragraph 1 of resolution 2161 (2014) and added to the Al-Qaida Sanctions List;

“20.  Directs the Committee to make accessible on the Committee’s website the narrative summaries of reasons for listing the individuals specified in Annex I of this resolution as agreed by the Council and confirms that the provisions of resolution 2161 (2014) and subsequent relevant resolutions shall apply to the names specified in Annex I for so long as they remain on the Al Qaida Sanctions List;

“21.  Encourages the submission of listing requests to the Committee by Member States of individuals and entities supporting ISIL, ANF and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida and further encourages the Committee to urgently consider additional designations of individuals and entities supporting ISIL and ANF;

Reporting

“22.  Directs the Monitoring Team to submit a report to the Committee within 90 days on the threat, including to the region, posed by ISIL and ANF, their sources of arms, funding, recruitment and demographics, and recommendations for additional action to address the threat and requests that, after a Committee discussion of this report, the chair of the Committee to brief the Security Council on its principal findings;

“23.  Requests UNAMI, within its mandate, capabilities, and its areas of operation, to assist the Committee and the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team established by resolution 1526 (2004), including by passing information relevant to the implementation of the measures in paragraph 1 of resolution 2161 (2014);

“24.  Decides to remain seized of this matter.

Annex

1.    Abdelrahman Mouhamad Zafir al Dabidi al Jahani

“Abdelrahman Mouhamad Zafir al Dabidi al Jahani is associated with Al-Qaida or any cell, affiliate, splinter group or derivative thereof for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of” and “recruiting for” Jabhet al-Nusra, an a.k.a. of Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant (QE.A.137.14).

2.    Hajjaj Bin Fahd Al Ajmi

“Hajjaj bin Fahd al Ajmi is associated with Al-Qaida or any cell, affiliate, splinter group or derivative thereof for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of” Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant (QE.A.137.14).

3.    Abou Mohamed al Adnani

“Abou Mohamed al Adnani is associated with Al-Qaida or any cell, affiliate, splinter group or derivative thereof for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of” Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), an a.k.a of Al-Qaida in Iraq (QE.J.115.04).

4.    Said Arif

“Said Arif is associated with Al-Qaida or any cell, affiliate, splinter group or derivative thereof for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of or in support of” and “recruiting for” Jabhet al-Nusra, an a.k.a. of Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant (QE.A.137.14).

5.    Abdul Mohsen Abdallah Ibrahim al Charekh

“Abdul Mohsen Abdallah Ibrahim al Charekh is associated with Al-Qaida or any cell, affiliate, splinter group or derivative thereof for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of” Jabhet al-Nusra, listed as an a.k.a. of Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant (QE.A.137.14).

6.    Hamid Hamad Hamid al-Ali

“Hamid Hamad Hamid al-Ali is associated with Al-Qaida or any cell, affiliate, splinter group or derivative thereof for “participating in the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of” Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), an a.k.a. of Al-Qaida in Iraq (QE.J.115.04) and Jabhet al-Nusra, an a.k.a. of Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant (QE.A.137.14).”

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*     The 7241^st Meeting was closed.

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