Terrorist groups common enemy of all countries: Syria conference

Participants in an international conference on fighting Takfiri terrorism in Syria have described terrorist organizations as the common enemy of all countries, calling for joint and systematic action against terror.

The final statement of the International Media Conference Against Terrorism, which was held in the Syrian capital, Damascus, from July 23 to 25, called for considering all terrorist organizations “a common enemy” to all countries and people of the world.

The statement, dubbed the “Damascus Declaration,” urged launching a systematic regional and international action with the cooperation and coordination among all countries on political, security and military levels to confront terrorist organizations and any country that provides any form of support to the terrorists.

The declaration also called on the United Nations Security Council to adopt a resolution compelling all countries to confront terrorism by all possible means and cut off support to terrorist organizations.

It also called for the establishment of an international legal system to prosecute the supporters of terrorism and take measures to ban media outlets from promoting the activities of such organizations.

The participants in the conference also emphasized support for the countries and governments facing terrorism, including Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, and Tunisia, demanding a joint media work plan for spreading awareness about ways to confront the Takfiri ideology and Islamophobia.

They also highlighted that the issue of the Israeli occupation of Palestine will remain at the core of the ongoing fight against terrorism, saying that the Tel Aviv regime is “the most dangerous epitome of state terrorism.”

The statement underscored the major role the axis of resistance plays to rid the region of Takfiri terrorism.

The conference attendees also lauded the Syrian government for its “matchless steadfastness” in fighting Takfiri terrorists.

The international anti-terrorism gathering brought together over 130 media figures from different countries.

Delegates to the two-day event discussed the roles of “committed” media and the enemy’s “mercenary” media in reflecting developments, how the media influence public opinion, the process of news coverage, the role of media in current conflicts, and the importance of field reporting, among other things.

Mohammad Akhgari, the director of the World Service of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Broadcasting (IRIB) who was present in the conference, said certain Western countries as well as reactionary Arab states resort to different methods to silence the voice of the resistance front.

The top executive at Iran’s state radio and TV also touched upon the West’s record of seeking to paint an unreal picture of pure Islam, saying, “These countries are really scared of information dissemination ... by resistance [movements] because these media mirror realities transparently and expose the West’s hegemonic states.”

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