OIC Stresses its Rejection of All Forms of Terrorism

The OIC stressed the need to combat all terrorist groups and organizations.
The OIC stressed the need to combat all terrorist groups and organizations.
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OIC Stresses its Rejection of All Forms of Terrorism

The OIC stressed the need to combat all terrorist groups and organizations.
The OIC stressed the need to combat all terrorist groups and organizations.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) stressed on Tuesday the need to combat all terrorist groups and organizations wherever they are, adding that terrorism constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law.

The announcement came during the statement delivered by Saudi Arabia on behalf of the OIC Group before the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly on “Measures to eliminate international terrorism,” held in New York on Tuesday.

Nidaa Abu Ali, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to the UN, said the OIC Group condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of the motivations, the identity of the perpetrator and the location it was committed.

“The Group reaffirms that terrorism could not be associated with any religion, race, faith, theology, values, culture or society,” Abu Ali said, reiterating the OIC’s respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all states in accordance with the UN Charter.

The Group also strongly condemned any attempt to link Islam with terrorism to achieve narrow interests.

“The OIC firmly rejects targeting Muslim minorities during COVID-19, blaming them for the local transmission of the virus,” Abu Ali said.

She reiterated the importance of promoting dialogue, understanding and cooperation among religions, cultures and civilizations for peace and harmony in the world, welcoming all regional and international initiatives and efforts to that end.

“The Group believes that it is essential to follow a comprehensive approach in combating terrorism by addressing the root causes of terrorism, including the unlawful use of force, aggression, foreign occupation, festering international disputes and political marginalization and alienation,” she said.

She added that the Group believes that it is essential that Member States bolster their cooperation and coordination with the aim of prosecuting the perpetrators of the terrorist acts and preventing providing any finance, safe havens, assistance or weapons to terrorist groups and organizations.

She said the OIC looks forward towards the convening of a second-high level conference under the auspices of the UN in order to formulate joint organized response by the international community to terrorism in all its forms.



US to Appoint Türkiye Ambassador as Special Envoy for Syria

US Ambassador to Türkiye Thomas Barrack (L) shakes hands with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan within an informal meeting of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) foreign ministers in Antalya, on May 15, 2025. (AFP)
US Ambassador to Türkiye Thomas Barrack (L) shakes hands with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan within an informal meeting of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) foreign ministers in Antalya, on May 15, 2025. (AFP)
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US to Appoint Türkiye Ambassador as Special Envoy for Syria

US Ambassador to Türkiye Thomas Barrack (L) shakes hands with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan within an informal meeting of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) foreign ministers in Antalya, on May 15, 2025. (AFP)
US Ambassador to Türkiye Thomas Barrack (L) shakes hands with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan within an informal meeting of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) foreign ministers in Antalya, on May 15, 2025. (AFP)

The United States will appoint President Donald Trump's longtime advisor and current US ambassador to Türkiye, Thomas Barrack, as a special envoy for Syria, a person with direct knowledge of the matter and a diplomat in Türkiye said.

The decision follows Trump's landmark announcement last week that US sanctions on Syria would be lifted. It also suggests US acknowledgement that Türkiye has emerged with key regional influence on Damascus since Bashar al-Assad's ouster by opposition factions in December, which ended 14 years of civil war, said Reuters.

Trump met with Syria's interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia on May 14 and urged him to normalize ties with longtime foe Israel following his surprise sanctions announcement.

"There is no announcement at this time," a US State Department spokesperson said when asked for comment about Barrack's Syria role.

Barrack, a private equity executive who has long advised Trump and chaired his inaugural presidential committee in 2016, is expected to continue as US envoy to Türkiye, the sources said.

Speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was allowing Turkish embassy staff, including Barrack, to work with local officials in Syria to understand what aid they need.

"We want to help that government succeed, because the alternative is full-scale civil war and chaos, which would, of course, destabilize the entire region," Rubio said.

A US-Turkish meeting focused on Syria was also held in Washington on Tuesday, which Barrack attended according to Türkiye’s foreign ministry, where sanctions relief and efforts to counter terrorism were discussed.

Removing US sanctions would clear the way for greater engagement by humanitarian organizations working in Syria, and ease foreign investment and trade as the country tries to rebuild.

Barrack has been busy since his arrival in Ankara earlier this month, dining with Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on his second evening in the capital, according to people familiar with the event.

He joined Rubio for several high-profile meetings last week, including one with Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shibani in Antalya hosted by Fidan.

He and Rubio also met with Turkish and Ukrainian government ministers ahead of the latter's talks with Russian officials, the first direct ceasefire discussions in three years between the warring sides.