The Security Council unanimously agreed to the resolution, which states that the barbaric group ‘constitutes a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security’.
The resolution, which was drafted by France, condemns the ‘horrifying terrorist attacks’ in Paris a week ago which left 130 dead, as well as atrocities committed by ISIS in Tunisia, Turkey, Lebanon and the downing of a Russian passenger plane over Egypt.
The UN’s text does not provide any legal basis for military action, although a coalition of nations – and Russia – are already bombing ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
The resolution states that the UN is determined ‘to combat by all means this unprecedented threat’, citing ISIS’ ‘systematic and widespread attacks’ on civilians as reasons for action.
It also cites religious and ethnic persecution by ISIS, destruction of cultural heritage sites and recruiting foreign fighters.
Agreements are often hard to find in the Security Council, where permanent members the United States, Russia, China, the UK and France can all veto resolutions.
The United States was among the 15 nations who approved the resolution, however US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power was not present at the vote.
She was in India earlier on Friday and her deputy Michele J. Sison stood in, though questions may be raised about why she was not in New York for the session.
Russia and China have a history of stepping in the way of resolutions put forward by the West – in particular ones criticizing president Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria.
But with Russia bombing ISIS in Syria following the Metrojet plane disaster over Sinai province in Egypt that killed 224 passengers of which 219 were Russian, Moscow did not stand in the way.
ISIS claimed responsibility for an explosion on board the plane and posted a picture online purporting to show a homemade bomb used to down the aircraft.
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