The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – or Syria (ISIL/Da’esh) still has no fewer than 20,000 ISIS fighters. It is continuing its dangerous transformation into a covert global network, UN counter-terror officials said.
The officials also said that in spite of serious military setbacks, ISIL – also referred to as ISIS – continues to pose a “serious challenge” worldwide while focusing on the activities of its regional offshoots.
These were among the key findings in a new United Nations report into the threats posed by ISIL presented to the UN Security Council on Thursday by senior UN counter-terrorism officials.
The report also detailed how UN member states and the UN system were continuing to strengthen, refine and promote the effective use of tools and measures to address the evolving transnational threat posed by the terrorist group and its affiliates.
Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, was joined by Michèle Coninsx, Executive Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate during the presentation.
The two senior officials broke the report down into three main areas, assuring the council members that “the global fight against ISIL and its affiliates continues.”