EU pledges €1b for Syria, Iraq fight against Daesh

Brussels: The European Union (EU) has pledged €1 billion (Dh4 billion) in funding for the crises in Syria and Iraq and the fight against the Daesh militant group, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Friday.

“This package will strengthen our actions to help restore peace and security in a region that is so close to us and that has been devastated by terrorism and violence for too long,” Mogherini said.

“The murder of Jordanian pilot Muath Al Kasaesbeh just days ago is further proof that terrorism has no boundaries and that Muslims are the first victims of Daesh,” she said.

The EU said in a statement that the it is the “first EU comprehensive strategy on tackling the crises in Syria and Iraq and the threat posed by Daesh”.

“It brings together ongoing and planned initiatives of the EU and its Member States and boosts their efficiency, with an additional 1 billion euros in funding for the next two years,” the statement said.

Violence in France and Belgium in recent weeks has stoked fears in Europe about the risk from its citizens going to fight with Daesh in Syria and Iraq then returning to carry out terror attacks.

“We face common challenges and common threats. We share an interest with our friends and partners in the region to stand up to them in the most effective way, and this is what we are doing today,” Mogherini added.

Daesh has seized swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq and last year declared a “caliphate” in areas under its control, imposing its brutal interpretation of Islam and committing widespread atrocities.

Extremists have flocked to Syria since anti-government protests broke out in 2011 and escalated into a multi-sided civil war, in which more than 200,000 people have died.