A senior Russian official has said it will take more than airstrikes to defeat Islamic State terrorists in the Middle East. He called for deeper dialogue between the international community to coordinate anti-terrorist efforts with the Syrian government.
“The efforts of the US-led international coalition aimed
against radical Islamists and extremists show very vividly that
airstrikes alone will not lead to a decisive success in this
struggle,” Vladimir Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov was quoted as
saying by TASS. “Probably in the nearest future we should not
exclude some contact between representatives of the Syrian
authorities and other nations involved in the conflict, including
Saudi Arabia,” he added.
Ushakov also emphasized that the current Syrian government is one
of the most real and effective forces currently countering
Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
The Russian president’s aide said that with the extremely
dangerous situation in the Mideast region all local governments
should forget their former grudges and unite their efforts in
fighting IS.
Ushakov also told reporters that leading Russian officials were
hoping for understanding from all the anti-IS coalition’s
participants. He reiterated Russian concern about the spread of
radical Islamism beyond the Mideast region and towards Russia’s
borders. According to the aide, the group is currently stepping
up its activity not only in Syria and Iraq, but in the Northern
provinces of Afghanistan and in other Central Asian nations as
well, and even in some parts of the North Caucasus.
Changing the priorities on the part of the anti-ISIS coalition
could also bring a swifter settlement of the Syrian crisis,
Ushakov noted. “After the main terrorist forces are defeated
and government control over liberated Syrian provinces is
restored, Russia and other interested parties could contribute to
organizing free Syrian parliamentary polls under international
monitors’ control, with subsequent formation of a government of
national trust,” he said.
Moscow institute launches anti-ISIS training for
Russian imams
Russia currently lists Islamic State and its affiliated group the
Al-Nusra Front as terrorists and bans all citizens from
participating in these organizations or rendering any support
under threat of criminal prosecution.
In addition, two of Russia’s major Muslim organizations – the
Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Russia and the Chechen
Council for Fatwas – condemned Islamic State as enemies of the
religion. They called for the punishment of all its members. They
also ruled that Muftis and common Muslims should refrain from
using the word Islamic when referring to the group. They
suggested calling it “Iblis State” instead, ‘Iblis’
meaning ‘devil’ in Arabic.
Top Russian security officials have repeatedly said that the IS
threat should not be underestimated, adding that radicals were
targeting both Russia and its neighbors and allies.
However, last week the head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan
Kadyrov played down reports of local terrorists joining Islamic
State, calling them rumors and bluffs. He added that IS had
absolutely no chances of success in Chechnya where 99.9 percent
of the population embraced peace and supported the authorities.