The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism is sounding the alarm and warning of the rising terrorist threat and the emergency situation in West Africa and the Sahel. This threat, it is observed, is multifaceted and increasingly complex.
The acting under-secretary-general of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, Alexander Zuev, told the Security Council on Wednesday that the threat posed by the Islamic State group had continued to grow and remained multipolar and increasingly complex, with the situation in West Africa and the Sahel being particularly urgent.
"The group and its affiliates have continued to adapt and demonstrate resilience despite the sustained pressure of the fight against terrorism ," Zuev said. "The group has continued to recruit foreign terrorist fighters and strengthen its use of new and emerging technologies."
According to Zuev, the group also managed to maintain its access to funding sources through opportunistic fundraising, illegal taxation, and kidnappings for ransom.
In the Lake Chad Basin, Zuev stated that the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) had further strengthened its influence.
In the Middle East, he added that the group remained active in Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic, where it continued its attacks and redoubled its efforts to destabilize local authorities.
In the Syrian Arab Republic, the security situation remains very fragile, he said.
Natalia Gherman, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, said that despite the considerable changes within the United Nations system, the common goal of preserving international peace and security must remain the same.
"The efforts undertaken by the United Nations to combat the Daesh threat are essential ," said Ms. Gherman. "These efforts require adequate resources and the cooperation of all Member States in order to achieve our common goal: a world free from terrorism."
