Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the organization Daesh, may or may not have been killed, but it is certain that his alleged State, announced three years ago in Mosul, has fallen and the myth has officially ended after the defeat of the organization.
Iraq’s celebration of the victory in Mosul means the end of Daesh, but it does not necessarily mean the end of terrorism. The terrorist threat still exists, either Daesh which still exists in several geographical areas in Iraq and Syria, or other terrorist organizations which are deployed in many countries and regions.
The world is far from eradicating the complex terrorist phenomenon. Victory against terrorists does not necessarily mean defeating terrorism itself. The former is related to the success of security and military efforts. The defeat of the terrorism phenomenon requires intensive, accurate and continuous work for coming years and decades.
Does this mean that terrorism was at the same level of danger over the past years? No.
International action is taking place to combat and expose countries that finance these organizations and which provide them with work cover. Qatar is one of the most prominent financiers of terrorism. The boycott has played a crucial role in exposing the Qatari cooperation with terror organizations and the relationship between the Qatari leadership and terrorist organizations.
Stopping sources that fund terrorists can contribute significantly to ending or limiting this phenomenon and reducing its risk to the lowest estimates. Money has always played the most prominent role in the spread of terrorism. There is a huge and complex business in financing terrorism and terrorists.
The world’s endeavour in the short and medium term is not just fighting terrorists; this is a task that can be achieved with more military cooperation and solidarity. The terrorism phenomenon over the past decades has given lessons, the most important of which is that terrorist operations do not end with the end of the terror leaders. The death of bin Laden has contributed to the emergence of al-Baghdadi, and has produced a new, more ferocious terrorist organization than al-Qaeda. This does not necessarily mean that the new terrorist generations and organizations are more deadly. However, the world must be cautious about the self-developing terrorist organizations that exchange experiences with each other.
Acquiring more expertise in committing crimes is facilitated by the Internet, which is a wide learning platform to the exchange of experiences. This fact is the reason behind the similarity of terrorist practices so that experts do not identify an organization only through its media outlets.
States and international organizations must move quickly to address the terrorist phenomenon and begin to work on an international embargo against the financing, arming and training of terrorist elements, whatever their motives and reasons. The international work should start by formulating a precise and specific definition of terrorism and making a list of its organizations and leaders then besieging them internationally.
Terrorism must not be a subject of bargaining, extortion and the pursuit of interests in international relations. The strategic costs of this phenomenon are so high and people of the world bear the burden of insecurity and instability. The reformulation of some States’ policies is one of the necessary entrances to fighting terrorism. Cooperation with armed organizations, militias and parties must be internationally prohibited. Eradicating terrorism and its militias necessitates confronting any regimes that oppress their peoples with weapons. The achievement of international justice is a prerequisite for international security and stability.
The world must learn the lessons of the past years and realize that chaos cannot be creative; it only gives rise to more chaos. Chaos can never develop a natural entry for stability. World’s security does not allow absurd ideas that cause the destruction of nations and people.
The fall of al-Baghdadi does not mean the end of terrorism, and fighting this ugly phenomenon should never stop. The world must not overlook emerging organized and individual terrorist acts. The idea of terrorism still exists and grows, and stopping financial sources of terrorism is vital to block terror organizations.
