BRICS calls for holding patrons of terrorism accountable

XIAMEN, China - A five-nation group, BRICS, expressing concern over the security situation in the region and has called for accountability of those are responsible for committing, organizing, or supporting terrorist acts.

The statement comes in a declaration passed by leaders of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa, who met on September 4, 2017 (Monday) in Xiamen, China, at the Ninth BRICS Summit.

Naming for the first time the terrorist groups, which have been long banned by Pakistan, the summit said: "We, in this regard, express concern on the security situation in the region and violence caused by the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al-Qaida and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP and Hizb ut-Tahrir".

"We reaffirm that those responsible for committing, organizing, or supporting terrorist acts must be held accountable," it added.

Besides extending support for Afghan-led peace process, the summit said: "We strongly condemn terrorist attacks resulting in death to innocent Afghan nationals. There is a need for immediate cessation of violence.

The leaders of emerging economies also reaffirmed support for the efforts of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in fighting terrorist organizations.

Suggesting ways "including countering radicalization, recruitment, movement of terrorists including Foreign Terrorist Fighters, blocking sources of financing terroris, mdismantling terrorist bases, and countering misuse of the Internet including social media by terrorist entities," the summit called upon all nations to adopt comprehensive approach to counter terrorism.

"We call upon the international community to establish a genuinely broad international counter-terrorism coalition and support the UN's central coordinating role in this regard," read the declaration.

The participants also called for expeditious finalisation and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) by the United Nations General Assembly to respond to global challenge.