United Nations Security Council Resolution 2597 – Threats to international peace and security
Resolution 2597 (2021)
The Security Council,
Reaffirming its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1325 (2000), 1368 (2001), 1373 (2001), 1624 (2005), 1894 (2009), 2106 (2013), 2150 (2014), 2170 (2014), 2178 (2014), 2199 (2015), 2242 (2015), 2249 (2015), 2253 (2015), 2322 (2016), 2331 (2016), 2341 (2017), 2347 (2017), 2354 (2017), 2367 (2017), 2368 (2017), 2370 (2017), 2490 (2019), 2544 (2020) and its relevant presidential statements,
Reaffirming its respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and unity of Iraq, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
Recalling that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Da’esh) constitutes a global threat to international peace and security through its terrorist acts, its violent extremist ideology, its continued gross, systematic and widespread attacks directed against civilians, its violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights, particularly those committed against women and children, and including those motivated by religious or ethnic grounds, and its recruitment and training of foreign terrorist fighters whose threat affects all regions and Member States,
Condemning the commission of acts by ISIL (Da’esh) involving murder, kidnapping, hostage-taking, suicide bombings, enslavement, sale into or otherwise forced marriage, trafficking in persons, rape, sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence, recruitment and use of children, attacks on critical infrastructure, as well as its destruction of cultural heritage, including archaeological sites, and trafficking of cultural property,
Recognizing that the commission of such acts which may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide, is part of the ideology and strategic objectives of ISIL (Da’esh), and used by ISIL (Da’esh) as a tactic of terrorism, and that holding ISIL (Da’esh) members accountable, particularly those who bear the greatest responsibility, including in terms of leadership, which can include regional or mid-level commanders, and the ordering and commission of crimes, will further expose this, and could assist in countering terrorism and violent extremism which can be conducive to terrorism, including by stemming financing and the continued flow of international recruits to the terrorist group ISIL (Da’esh),
Welcoming the considerable efforts of the Government of Iraq to defeat ISIL (Da’esh), and recalling its letter to the Secretary-General and Security Council dated 9 August 2017 calling for the assistance of the international community to ensure that members of ISIL (Da’esh) are held accountable for their crimes in Iraq, including where those may amount to crimes against humanity (S/2017/710),
- Reaffirms its resolution 2379 (2017), by which the Investigative Team, headed by a Special Adviser, was established; and recalls the terms of reference approved by the Council (S/2018/119);
2. Takes note of the request from the Government of Iraq contained in its letter dated 16 September 2021 (S/2021/801) and decides to extend until 17 September 2022 the mandate of the Special Adviser and the Team, with any further extension to be decided at the request of the Government of Iraq, or any other government that has requested the Team to collect evidence of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide, committed by ISIL (Da’esh) in its territory, in accordance with its resolution 2379 (2017);
3. Requests the Special Adviser to continue to submit and present reports to the Council on the team’s activities every 180 days;
4. Decides to remain seized of the matter.
Adopted by the Security Council at its 8863rd meeting, on17 September 2021.
