Islamic State hits back, aided by power vacuum in Iraq and Syria
One AmericaDec 26, 2021
UN: Threat of Terrorism in Syria 'Resurging'
Above: A member of the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army stand guarded in front of a Islamic State flag in the border town of Jarablus, August 31, 2016, Syria. Image copyright: Defne Karadeniz/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
UN Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen told the Security Council on Monday that the threat of violence from the Islamic State (IS) group is "resurging" as the 13-year-long civil war in the country continues to drag on.
Pederson warned that "conflict, complexity and division" still reigned in Syria and that the risk of violent escalation is "undiminished." Pederson cited Israeli airstrikes in Syria and a potential escalation of their conflict with Lebanon as grounds for concern.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
There is no hope for resolving the refugee crisis without ending the antagonism toward Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria. The world must engage in constructive dialogue with the rightful and legitimate rulers of Syria if they want to see any improvement in the humanitarian situation. Regional partners such as Turkey have already made overtures for normalization, and the rest of the world must follow suit.
Pro-establishment narrative
The path to a safe Syria does not run through the brutal Assad regime. Feeling the pressures of hosting refugees, Middle Eastern countries have turned to forceful deportations back to Syria and have made a half-hearted attempt to rehabilitate Assad. Meanwhile, Syria has turned into a criminal state involved in drug trafficking and has let itself be used as a tool of Iran. The fight against Assad must continue.