Fighters from Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) hold their weapons as they stand on confiscated cigarettes before setting them on fire in the city of Raqqa April 2, 2014.
ISIS's current stock of weapons will allow the group to keep fighting for about six months to two years which makes the group not only the most funded but also the best armed, the UN Security Council finds. The report suggested the implementation of new measures to block the militant group's access to funds and weapons. Based on the UN's assessment, ISIS has in its possession T-55 and T-72 tanks, Humvees manufactured in the U.S., machine guns, short-range anti-aircraft artillery and shoulder-mounted rockets seized from the military armory of Iraqi and Syrian forces.
To stop ISIS from acquiring more weapons, the report recommends the UN to require that no aircraft from territories held by ISIS should be allowed to land on member states. Flights to ISIS-controlled territory should be prohibited except for aircraft used in delivering humanitarian aid.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Barack Obama has vowed to send troops to fight ISIS on the ground if the group acquires nuclear weapons despite his unwavering stand to not deploy combat forces months ago. He told ABC reporters at a news conference in Brisbane, Australia, that he would change his mind and deploy ground troops if the ISIS will take possession of nuclear weapons. Previous reports have indicated that officials were not aware of ISIS currently holding a nuclear weapon.
No comments:
Post a Comment