UNITED NATIONS, August 23 (RIA Novosti) - Responding to the beheading of American freelance journalist James Foley by the Islamic State the UN Security Council on Friday unanimously agreed to a statement which strongly condemned this “heinous and cowardly murder.”
The Security Council statement said “this incident is a tragic reminder of the increasing dangers journalists face every day in Syria. It also once again demonstrates the brutality of ISIL, which is responsible for thousands of abuses against the Syrian and Iraqi people.”
Referring to others still held captive, the Security Council “demanded the immediate, safe and unconditional release of all those who are kept hostage by ISIL, Al-Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities associated with Al-Qaida.”
On ISIL, the Security Council said the group “must be defeated and that the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out.”
On the rights and status of reporters, the Security Council “recalled that, in accordance with international humanitarian law, journalists, media professionals and associated personnel engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict are generally considered as civilians and shall be respected and protected as such.”
Concluding with an emphasis on justice, the Security Council “underlined the need to bring perpetrators of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice. The members of the Security Council stressed that those responsible for the killing of James Foley shall be held accountable, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with the United States and all other relevant authorities in this regard.”
On August 19, the IS released a video on YouTube showing a masked man beheading Foley, who was taken prisoner in northwest Syria in November 2012.
The IS also claimed to be holding another US journalist, Steven Sotloff, who appears at the end of the video, and said his life depended on US President Barack Obama’s next move.
Islamic State is a radical Sunni group that has been fighting in Syria before launching an offensive in Iraq in June. Later that month, the militants announced the establishment of an Islamic caliphate on the territories that had fallen under its control.
