Vladimir Voronkov, UN counter-terrorism chief, has raised
the alarm that terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are
spreading across the African continent.
Voronkov said this while briefing the security council on
the eve of the fourth commemoration of the international day of victims of
terrorism on Thursday at the UN headquarters, New York.
Presenting the secretary-general’s latest report on the
threats posed by terrorist groups, Voronkov said al-Qaeda and Islamic State,
also known as Da’esh, are exploiting the pandemic to regroup.
He said the terrorist groups have been adapting to new
technologies and moving into some of the world’s fragile regions and continue
to pose a threat to peace and security globally.
He said Da’esh is exploiting the disruption, grievances and
development setbacks caused by the pandemic to regroup, recruit new followers
and intensify its activities both online and on the ground.
“Today, we face transnational terrorist threats like Da’esh
and al-Qaeda that are enduring and able to adapt to new technologies,” Voronkov
said.
“But also expanding to include individuals and groups that
commit terrorist attacks connected to xenophobia, racism and other forms of
intolerance.”
He said the world is currently witnessing a rapidly evolving
situation in Afghanistan “which could have far-reaching implications” around
the globe.
He cited Da’esh’s expanded presence in that country and
pointed out that several members of the Taliban have been designated as
terrorists by the security council.
“We will need to ensure that Afghanistan is never again used
as launching pad for global terrorism,” he said.
While Da’esh remains focused on reconstituting its
capabilities in Iraq and Syria, Voronkov said the most alarming development in
recent months is the group’s relentless spread across the African continent.
He said the ‘Islamic State in the Greater Sahara’ has killed
several hundred civilians since the start of 2021 in Mali, Burkina Faso and
Niger Republic while the group’s ‘West Africa Province’ will likely gain from
the weakening of Boko Haram, with additional spillover of terrorists and
foreign fighters from Libya.
He said the expansion of Da’esh in Central Africa, and especially
in northern Mozambique could have far-reaching implications for peace and
security in the region.
“A global response is urgently needed to support the efforts
of African countries and regional organisations to counter terrorism and
address its interplay with conflict, organised crime, governance and
development gaps,” Voronkov said.
Voronkov also cited the continued detention of thousands of
individuals with alleged links to terrorist groups as another factor
exacerbating the threat.
He said deteriorating conditions in detention facilities and
displacement camps in north-east Syria, in particular, are serving as a
rallying cry for terrorist activities.
“They have already fuelled instances of terrorist
radicalisation, fund-raising, arms smuggling, training and incitement to
terror,” he said.
Against that backdrop, he asked member states to voluntarily
repatriate all concerned individuals, with a particular focus on children.
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