The resolution, under Chapter VII of the UN charter, allows use of “all necessary measures” to “suppress the flow of foreign terrorist fighters” to Iraq and Syria, where ISIS has made widespread advances during which it has been accused of committing atrocities.
The resolution, which is also aimed at Syria’s al-Nusra Front and other al-Qaeda-inspired groups, identifies these groups as a threat to civilians, particularly women and children.
Also on Friday, EU ministers agreed at an emergency meeting in Brussels to back the arming of Iraqi Kurdish fighters.
The emergency meeting of the bloc’s 28 foreign ministers in Brussels marked a shift toward greater involvement in Iraq, following weeks during which the Europeans mainly considered the situation an American problem because of the 2003 U.S.-led Iraq invasion.
EU ministers pledged to step up efforts to help those fleeing ISIS, with several nations announcing they will fly dozens of tons of aid to northern Iraq over the coming days.
“First of all, we need to make sure that we alleviate humanitarian suffering,” Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans told reporters. “Secondly, I believe we need to make sure that (ISIS) is not in a position to overrun the Kurds or to take a stronger hold on Iraq.”
France has pledged to ship weapons to the Kurds and Britain is delivering ammunition and military supplies obtained from eastern European nations and is considering sending more weaponry. Germany, the Netherlands and others said they would also consider requests to arm the Kurds.
Europe’s initiative came as Nouri al-Maliki agreed to step down after weeks of insisting on a third four-year term.
Source: News agencies