UN Security Council approves sanction against jihadists in Iraq, Syria

The UN Security Council Friday adopted sanctions against jihadist groups in Iraq and Syria and placed six individuals affiliated to them on its Al Qaida sanctions list.

"All states shall ensure that no funds, financial assets or economic resources are made available, directly or indirectly for the benefit of IS (previously known as Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria or ISIS), Al Nusrah Front (ANF), or any other individuals, and entities associated with Al Qaida," Xinhua quoted the unanimously approved resolution as saying.

Given that IS and ANF are already included on the Security Council's Al Qaida sanctions regime, the resolution added the names of six individuals to the sanctions list.

The 15-member Council expressed its gravest concern that territory in parts of Iraq and Syria is under the control of IS and ANF and about the negative impact of their presence, violent extremist ideology and actions on stability in Iraq, Syria and the region.

The Security Council also urged the Islamist groups to "cease all violence and terrorist acts".

The Council also expressed "its readiness to consider listing individuals and entities providing support to IS or to ANF" and all other entities associated with Al Qaida through information and communications technologies including the internet and social media.

The crisis in Iraq has taken a turn for the worse since June 10, when Sunni militants, mostly from IS, took control of Mosul, the second largest city, and then progressed to other areas in the north and centre of the country.

The IS June 29 proclaimed an Islamic caliphate extending from the Syrian province of Aleppo to Diyala in Iraq, a measure which was rejected by other rebel groups in both countries.

ANF is an Al-Qaida-linked extremist group fighting the Syrian government.