WASHINGTON - U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Nikki Haley has told the UN Security Council that the Islamic State (IS)-Daesh group’s ideology has taken root in new corners of the world, particularly in Afghanistan.
Nikki Haley urged all countries to ensure that the Daesh group faces “an enduring defeat” and said the U.S. will deepen partnerships with countries fighting terrorism “when force is necessary.”
She also called on countries to outsmart IS which is also known as ISIL, deny its fighters and supporters “safe haven,” end conflicts in areas where the extremist group flourishes, and use sanctions “to deny funding to terrorist groups.”
“The fight against terror will take different forms, but the outcome is certain,” she said. “The United States will continue to be a force in this effort against ISIS and al-Qaida until we defeat this threat.”
Haley emphasized that the Daesh group demonstrates that it is “an enemy that adapts, and one that will seek out the world’s ungoverned spaces.”
In the meantime, Undersecretary-General for Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov said IS continues to pose a serious challenge, “especially due to its transformation into a covert network, the activities of its regional affiliates, and the complex threat posed by returning and relocating foreign terrorist fighters and their families.”
While IS has been defeated in Iraq and “is in headlong retreat” in Syria, Voronkov warned that the rising threat from the militant group’s fighters “will be diverse and hard to predict.” (ATN)