World leaders have united against ISIS in a United Nations Security Council resolution calling on countries to take ‘all necessary measures’ to fight ISIS in Syria and Iraq. The Security Council unanimously agreed to the resolution, which states that the barbaric group ‘constitutes a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security’.The resolution, which was drafted by France, condemns the ‘horrifying terrorist attacks’ in Paris a week ago which left 130 dead, as well as atrocities committed by ISIS in Tunisia, Turkey, Lebanon and the downing of a Russian passenger plane over Egypt.
The UN’s text does not provide any legal basis for military action, although a coalition of nations – and Russia – are already bombing ISIS in Syria and Iraq. The resolution states that the UN is determined ‘to combat by all means this unprecedented threat’, citing ISIS’ ‘systematic and widespread attacks’ on civilians as reasons for action. It also cites religious and ethnic persecution by ISIS, destruction of cultural heritage sites and recruiting foreign fighters. The measure is the 14th terrorism-related resolution adopted by the UN’s most powerful body since 1999. Agreements are often hard to find in the Security Council, where permanent members the United States, Russia, China, the UK and France can all veto resolutions.
Russia and China have a history of stepping in the way of resolutions put forward by the West – in particular ones criticizing president Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. But with Russia bombing ISIS in Syria following the Metrojet plane disaster over Sinai province in Egypt that killed 224 passengers of which 219 were Russian, Moscow did not stand in the way. ISIS claimed responsibility for an explosion on board the plane and posted a picture online purporting to show a homemade bomb used to down the aircraft.
UN Security Council resolution 2249 could lead to the UK starting bombing raids on ISIS in Syria. Currently it is only flying raids over Iraq while providing intelligence to nations, such as the US and France, who are attacking militants in Syria.
