Foreign terrorists in conflict-hit nations dampen efforts to counter terrorism; says India

India on Monday said that the presence of foreign terrorists, who enable attacks by militant groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS in countries that are facing conflicts poses serious challenges and weakens global efforts to counter-terrorism.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador TS Tirumurti was speaking at the UN Security Council briefing on 'Cooperation between the United Nations: League of Arab States'. During the briefing, he also said that foreign terrorists are radicalizing the youth.

"The presence of foreign terrorist fighters in countries facing conflicts is posing serious challenges to ongoing international efforts. These fighters have become enablers of attacks carried out by terror groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS. They are also radicalizing the youth," he said.

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Tirumurti said it is well-known that the foreign fighters in Libya are radicalizing the entire region, thus undermining the collective efforts to counter-terrorism.

The Indian envoy underlined that the League of Arab States has an important role to play in mediation, conflict prevention, and resolution in the region. He stressed that the ongoing conflicts that go back a decade have now become protracted in Syria, Libya, or Yemen.

Attempts to delegitimize governments and to impose external solutions have moved parties away from negotiations and made them skeptical of the political process, he said. 

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"Such an approach emboldens regional players to support respective sides, both politically and militarily. The proxies, propped by their mentors, also aspire for a political role without much support on the ground. This further complicates the pursuit of any meaningful solution," Tirumurti added.

He told the Council that there is a need to introspect whether their actions are ensuring reconciliation or doing a disservice by pulling parties apart. He noted that India has always believed in an intra-nation-led process and not externally imposed solutions.

Tirumurti said any comprehensive and peaceful resolution to conflicts must be inclusive, driven by the aspirations of the people, and arrived at through broader consultations and dialogue. 

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Reiterating support to the Palestinian issue and peace and stability in West Asia, the envoy said that recent months have witnessed positive developments, including the signing of the Abraham Accords. He also said India welcomes agreements aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and other countries, that will contribute to peace and stability in West Asia.

"We urge the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to re-engage in meaningful negotiations and to eschew violence that may make negotiations more difficult to resume," TS Tirumurti said.

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