Islamic State

(asked on 1st September 2014) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce the threat of Islamic State in Iraq to security in that region.


Answered by
Tobias Ellwood Portrait
Tobias Ellwood
This question was answered on 8th September 2014

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) pose a threat across the region and it is important that our response reflects that. This will require a tough, intelligent and patient approach, including action at home and abroad. In both Iraq and Syria, we are determined to support non-sectarian moderates who are working for democracy and the rule of law, and resist terrorists, extremists and authoritarian regimes. Our approach to dealing with ISIL will involve ensuring that the UK is protected from immediate security threats, that ISIL is pushed back militarily and that we squeeze ISIL’s access to resources, including money, weapons and recruits. We will also work to isolate ISIL politically through finding inclusive political settlements in Iraq and Syria. We are already carrying out surveillance flights in Northern Iraq and have not ruled our further steps.

Reticulating Splines