Kerry Calls for ’Coalition of Nations’ in Fighting ’IS’ in Syria, Northern Iraq

Local Editor

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on Friday for a global coalition of nations to combat so-called "Islamic State" [IS] jihadists' "genocidal agenda" in Syria and northern Iraq.

One week ahead of a NATO summit in Wales that will gather leaders from across the Western world, Kerry advocated in an op-ed in the New York Times that "a united response led by the United States and the broadest possible coalition of nations."

Kerry said that he and Secretary of War Chuck Hagel would "meet with our counterparts from our European allies. The goal is to enlist the broadest possible assistance," on the sidelines of the NATO summit.

"According to him, "What's needed to confront its nihilistic vision and genocidal agenda is a global coalition using political, "humanitarian," economic, law enforcement and intelligence tools to support military force."

Following the NATO summit, he said that he and Hagel would travel to the Middle East to build support "among the countries that are most directly threatened."

He added, "We will use that opportunity [ the summit] to continue to build a broad coalition and highlight the danger posed by foreign "terrorist" fighters, including those who have joined IS," Kerry said,

Meanwhile, as U.S. President Barack Obama has said he is still developing a comprehensive plan to defeat IS, Kerry in his column said that Obama will put forward a plan for dealing with IS at a summit meeting of the U.N. Security Council in September, when the U.S. holds the group's rotating presidency.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team