World Bulletin/News Desk

The United Nations is considering a resolution to weaken the ISIL by cutting off funding and stemming the flow of foreign fighters to the battlefields of Iraq and Syria.

Under the resolution, the UN Security Council can consider “all necessary means” to deal with ISIL, diplomats in New York told The Anadolu Agency.

The resolution was drafted by Britain and is supported by Iraq, whose UN ambassador, Mohamed Ali Alhakim, described a “tremendous level of communication” between Washington, London, Paris and Baghdad.

Iraq sent letters to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the president of the Security Council three weeks ago notifying them that “Iraq may require logistic help as well as military equipment” to combat militants, Alhakim said.

However, the resolution does not include an option for the UN to sanction armed force.

Drafted under chapter VII of the UN charter, the resolution is part of a wider policy by Iraq to seek international help in fighting ISIL, which has taken over huge swathes of territory in both Iraq and Syria, capturing cities, oil facilities and, most recently, Iraq’s largest dam.

The resolution, seen by the AA, calls for an end to atrocities and terrorism committed by designated groups, which include the al-Nusra Front in Syria as well as ISIL. It reaffirms the independence, sovereignty and integrity of Syria and Iraq and demonstrates ISIL’s attempt to form a caliphate straddling both countries.

Those who help recruit fighters will be blacklisted under the proposal and targeted with economic punishment.

The draft notes that the flow of foreign fighters to ISIL and al-Qaeda-linked groups should be halted as they are “exacerbating conflict and contributing to violent radicalization.”

The draft highlights the need to identify those involved in kidnapping, forced displacement and persecution of minority groups and catalogues the killing of Iraqi soldiers by ISIL.

Other abuses, such as rape and sexual violence, arbitrary detention, the use of child soldiers and the destruction of places of worship, are also addressed.

Sanctions would include asset freezes, travel bans and arms embargoes and UN member states are urged to find and prosecute the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of terrorism.

The text, which was discussed by the council’s 15 members on Friday, calls on all 193 UN member states to strengthen border controls to impede the movement of terrorist recruits and forbids financial help to ISIL or al-Nusra.

Noting that IS is “a splinter group of Al-Qaida,” the draft says the council will compile a list of individuals and groups providing support to IS, including those who recruit via the internet and social media.

A monitoring team will report to the council’s sanctions committee within 90 days on the threat posed by ISIL and “its sources of arms and funding.”

Alhakim said Iraq should face no problem getting permanent council members Russia and China to pass the resolution. Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the AA that Moscow will be "constructive" on the proposal.