UN counter-terrorism chief warns of continued threat from Daesh/ISIS

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Daesh/ISIS constitutes a threat to international peace and security, UN Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov warned on Thursday.

"Daesh continues to pose a serious threat to international peace and security, notably in conflict zones, despite significant progress achieved by member states in countering the threat," Voronkov told a Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

Member states’ efforts to counter the financing of terrorism continue to yield "tangible results," Voronkov said, adding: "Daesh’s financial reserves are currently estimated between $10 million and $25 million, down from hundreds of millions a few years ago."

Stressing that the group maintains intention to carry out attacks abroad, he said despite important achievements, "the risk of resurgence by Daesh remains."

Terrorism is a multi-faceted threat, he said, adding countering it requires multilateral and decisive efforts.

"As tensions rise in various parts of the world, let the consensus among member states against terrorism serve to help find common ground, reduce friction and reaffirm our commitment to multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow," Voronkov added.