The situation of religious and ethnic communities in the Middle East in general and in Iraq and Syria in particular has “evolved from alarming to desperate” as the terrorist group known as “IS” has been wreaking death and destruction, the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) said today.
Adopting a resolution on the subject, the parliamentarians said that the first priority should be to stop the ongoing massacres. They called on member States of the Council of Europe to do “their utmost to contribute to bringing peace to the region”.
The text, based on the report by Theodora Bakoyannis (Greece, EPP/CD), expresses deep concern that around 3 000 young Europeans are fighting for “IS” in Iraq and Syria and urges the member States of the Council of Europe to increase efforts to identify them, as well as “to identify and dismantle recruitment channels”. In addition, “IS” sources of funds should be identified and, whenever possible, neutralised and sanctioned. (more...)
