India at UN: Growth of terrorism in Syria because of 'external actors' is concerning

At the United Nations on Tuesday, India raised concern about the involvement of 'external actors' in the emergence of terror groups in Syria such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and emphasised the significance of long-term security and stability in the region.

Srinivas Gotru, Joint Secretary of UN Economic and Social, stated, "The constitutional committee was set up nearly two years back and the process of drafting the Constitution needs to begin. The efforts of the last two years have made it clear that the external influence remains the major impeding factor hampering the progress on the political track called on all external actors to desist from adversely influencing the parties concerned."

The ceasefire agreement in Da'raa is a positive step forward

Gotru further said that the ceasefire agreement in Da'raa is a positive step forward in terms of security. However, the overall situation in Syria, notably in the northeast and northwest, continues to worry them. A nationwide comprehensive ceasefire is critical to the Syrian people's interests.

He emphasised the role of external actors in Syria, which he claimed contributed to the rise of terrorism in the country. He went on to say that the only way to achieve long-term security and peace in West Asia is for Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity to be preserved. According to Gotru, "There can be no military solution to the Syrian conflict. We reaffirm our commitment to advancing a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned UN-facilitated political process in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254."

Terrorism in Syria

Terrorism in Syria extends back to the early 1980s Islamist uprising to the ongoing Syrian Civil War, which saw the formation of extreme Islamist groups like ISIL, al-Nusra and other al-Qaeda affiliates. Sunni Islamists waged a long campaign of terror against Syria's secular Ba'ath Party-controlled government from 1976 to 1982. Islamists targeted civilians as well as military members who were not on duty. A number of important Syrian officers and government workers, as well as professional doctors and professors, were slain after Syria's invasion of Lebanon in 1986. The majority of the victims were Alawis, suggesting that the assassins were targeting the community, but no one knew who was behind the killings.

Image: Twitter/@IndiaUNNewYork/ AP