Security Council warns of ‘risk of dispersion’ of Syria jihadists

16 October 2019, 9:15 pm

Edit

The UN Security Council warns in a unanimously adopted statement of a risk of “dispersion” of jihadist prisoners in Syria, but stops short of calling for a halt to Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish forces there.

“Members of the Security Council expressed deep concerns over the risks of dispersion of terrorists from UN-designated groups, including ISIL,” the statement says, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.

This picture taken on October 16, 2019 from the Turkish side of the border at Ceylanpinar district in Sanliurfa shows smoke rising from the Syrian town of Ras al-Ain on the eighth day of Turkey’s military operation against Kurdish forces. (Ozan Kose/AFP)

All 15 Council members including Russia, a key player in the conflict, declared themselves “very concerned (about) a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation” in northeastern Syria.

— AFP