29-03-2024 02:34 PM Jerusalem Timing

Kerry Urges “Coalition of Nations” to Fight ISIL “Genocidal Agenda”

Kerry Urges “Coalition of Nations” to Fight ISIL “Genocidal Agenda”

US Secretary of State John Kerry called Friday for a global coalition of nations to combat ISIL Takfiris’ "genocidal agenda" in Syria and Northern Iraq.

US Secretary of State John Kerry called Friday for a global coalition of nations to combat ISIL Takfiris’ "genocidal agenda" in Syria and Northern Iraq.

One week ahead of a NATO summit in Wales that will gather leaders from across the Western world, Kerry advocated "a united response led by the United States and the broadest possible coalition of nations" in an op-ed in the New York Times.

The top US diplomat said he and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel would "meet with our counterparts from our European allies. The goal is to enlist the broadest possible assistance," on the sidelines of the NATO summit.US Secretary of State John Kerry

US President Barack Obama has said he is still developing a comprehensive plan to defeat ISIL, which has overrun large swathes of Iraq and Syria, where it has declared a "caliphate" and unleashed a spate of atrocities.

In his column, Kerry said that Obama will put forward a plan for dealing with ISIL at a summit meeting of the UN Security Council in September, when the US holds the group's rotating presidency.

"We will use that opportunity to continue to build a broad coalition and highlight the danger posed by foreign terrorist fighters, including those who have joined ISIL," Kerry said.

"What's needed to confront its nihilistic vision and genocidal agenda is a global coalition using political, humanitarian, economic, law enforcement and intelligence tools to support military force," Kerry said.

Following the NATO summit, he said he and Hagel would travel to the Middle East to build support "among the countries that are most directly threatened."

"The cancer of ISIL will not be allowed to spread to other countries. The world can confront this scourge, and ultimately defeat it," Kerry added.
The NATO summit in Wales runs from September 4-5.