World Unites to Halt ISIL

Marseille // International leaders committed themselves on Monday to what they declared a race against time to counter a rising threat to world peace from ISIL’s ruthless actions and ambitions.

As delegates from 29 nations met in Paris, the escalation of the international response was confirmed when French warplanes flew from the UAE on their first reconnaissance flights over Iraq in support of the United States-led campaign against militant Islamists.

Two Rafale fighter jets, equipped with high-precision cameras, took off from the Al Dhafra base during a visit by the French defence minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian. France took no part in the 2003 invasion or Iraq to depose Saddam Hussein. But the French minister told French troops based at Al Dhafra his visit came at a time of “extreme seriousness” over the ISIL threat. “We must be ready to intervene,” said Mr Le Drian, who later met Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, “France stands ready at a time that is decisive for its security because it is also France’s security that is threatened by this ... pseudo-Islamic state.”

Twenty-nine nations were represented at the Paris summit on the eve of attempts at the United National General Assembly to establish a coordinated approach to the crisis.

A joint statement promised to use “any means necessary”, including “appropriate military assistance”, to defeat militant Islamist groups.

The French president, Francois Hollande, greeted delegates with a warning that ISIL’s activities were not confined to Iraq and Syria but amounted to a global threat requiring a global response.

He urged Arab and western allies to engage “clearly, loyally and strongly” on the side of the Iraqi authorities. “The Iraqis’ combat is also ours,” he said. “There is no time to lose.”

His words were echoed by the Iraqi president Fuad Masum, co-hosting the conference, who said the international community must act swiftly.

It was already late and further delay meant “Islamic State could occupy more territory and the threat it poses will be even bigger”, he told France’s Europe 1 radio as delegates gathered in the French capital. The French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, said ISIL had adopted a blunt stance: “Either you are with us or we kill you.” He added: “When you are facing a group like that, there is no position other than to defend yourselves and that is what the international community, with whatever differences and nuances, has decided to do.”

The daunting scale of the task is illustrated by estimates from the CIA that up to 30,000 militant fighters are now active in the large swathes of Iraq and Syria controlled by ISIL. A total of 40 countries, including the UAE among 10 Arab nations, have signed up to a coalition to help confront the militants. Some of the support was secured in a whistlestop tour by the US secretary of state John Kerry.

When the Paris conference rose, a joint statement said participating countries were “committed to supporting the new Iraqi government in its fight ... by any means necessary, including appropriate military assistance”.

Iran and Syria were not involved in the summit. Most countries are alert to the danger of being seen to side with Bashar Al Assad’s Syrian regime, which they remain committed to seeing driven from power, albeit by moderate opponents. Iran, meanwhile, claimed it declined a US invitation to cooperate early in the intervention against ISIL because, in the words of the Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Washington had “unclean intentions”.

US warplanes have already carried out 160 airstrikes against ISIL positions, according to US officials at the weekend. Britain, like France, has provided support with airborne intelligence-gathering.

There is no appetite at present for sending in ground troops.