Nineteenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL (Da’esh) to international peace and security and the range of United Nations efforts in support of Member States in countering the threat

Summary

This nineteenth strategic-level report of the Secretary-General assesses the evolving threat posed by ISIL (Da'esh) to international peace and security and documents United Nations efforts in support of Member States' counter-terrorism initiatives during the reporting period. The assessment reveals that the threat from Da'esh remains high, with the group demonstrating sustained resilience and adaptability through less hierarchical, networked, and decentralized structures that enabled increased operational activity, particularly in the Syrian Arab Republic and parts of Africa. The terrorist attacks in Kerman, Islamic Republic of Iran (January) and Moscow (March 2024) underscored the external threat projection capabilities of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K), heightening concerns among Member States about the terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan. The report highlights that Da'esh's impact continued to be disproportionately severe in conflict zones, especially across Africa, where its affiliates—including Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)—expanded operations, committed mass atrocities against civilians, and exploited porous borders. The situation in camps in northeast Syria remains dire, with more than 44,000 individuals, including over 28,900 foreign nationals, held in precarious conditions, despite repatriation efforts that returned 1,080 children and over 1,970 Iraqi nationals during the reporting period. The United Nations continued supporting Member States through enhanced border management, counter-terrorism financing initiatives, capacity-building for law enforcement, rehabilitation and reintegration programs for returnees, and victim support mechanisms. Key developments included the launch of the Abuja Process, an Africa-led initiative to coordinate counter-terrorism resources, and the establishment of the Integrated Border Stability Mechanism for West Africa. The report emphasizes that sustainable counter-terrorism requires comprehensive, whole-of-government, human rights-based, and gender-responsive approaches that address root causes of violent extremism. It calls for urgent repatriation of camp populations, strengthened regional cooperation, and increased investment in prevention strategies to mitigate the risk of Da'esh resurgence and expansion, particularly across Africa's unstable regions.

Keywords

ISIL, Da'esh, threat, UN Secretary-General, international security