Terrorists Emboldened by Anti-ISIL Coalition: Iran MP
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The US-led coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorists has indeed backfired, a top Iranian lawmaker said, noting that the terrorist group has expanded its activities after formation of the coalition.
“After formation of the anti-ISIL coalition and the announcement of US strikes on the areas where the ISIL is stationed, everybody saw that the terrorist group extended its invasion. Indeed, I should say that the anti-ISIL coalition has strengthened that group,” Esmail Kowsari, member of the Iranian parliament’s national security and foreign policy commission told the Tasnim News Agency on Sunday.
"The ISIL should have come to an end, if the US was sincere in its battle against the Takfiri militants," said Kowsari.
The lawmaker also blamed the US for the creation of ISIL and said Washington seek to spread terrorism in the region to sow seeds of discord among Muslims.
He warned that the ISIL terrorists will one day scourge their sponsors as well.
ISIL militants made swift advances in much of northern and western Iraq over the summer, after capturing large swaths of northern Syria.
Since late September, the US and several of its Arab allies including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have been conducting airstrikes against ISIL inside Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate.
The US began airstrikes on ISIL targets in Iraq in mid-August. Several Western nations, including Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Britain, France and Australia have joined the US military campaign in Iraq.
