The United States and Australia have called for an international response to the growing numbers of foreign fighters who have travelled to the Middle East and joined Islamist groups, highlighting the potential risk they pose on return.
Speaking at the annual US-Australia dialogue in Sydney, US Secretary of State John Kerry said,
His comments come after Australian media published a photograph reportedly showing the 7-year-old son of an Australian man who had travelled to Syria to fight with the Islamic State, holding a decapitated head.
"This image, perhaps even an iconic photograph ... is really one of the most disturbing, stomach-turning, grotesque photographs ever displayed," said Kerry. "This is utterly disgraceful and it underscores the degree to which ISIL is so far beyond the pale."
The issue of foreign fighters has also been of concern to other countries, with German Foreign Minister Thomas de Maiziere saying on Monday that the government was exploring measures that may stop German citizens from travelling to participate in such conflicts. The minister added that "A foreign national can have his passport seized, or you can refuse him entry".
Meanwhile, police in Kosovo arrested 40 men on suspicion of having fought with Islamist groups in Iraq and Syria, seizing weapons and ammunition in a major police operation. See more from the BBC here.
Speaking at the annual US-Australia dialogue in Sydney, US Secretary of State John Kerry said,
“We have a responsibility to take this to the United Nations and to the world, so that all countries involved take measures ahead of time to prevent the return of these fighters and the chaos and havoc that come with that.”Kerry added that both the US and Australia would work "to assemble a compendium of the best practices in the world together regarding those foreign fighters".
His comments come after Australian media published a photograph reportedly showing the 7-year-old son of an Australian man who had travelled to Syria to fight with the Islamic State, holding a decapitated head.
"This image, perhaps even an iconic photograph ... is really one of the most disturbing, stomach-turning, grotesque photographs ever displayed," said Kerry. "This is utterly disgraceful and it underscores the degree to which ISIL is so far beyond the pale."
The issue of foreign fighters has also been of concern to other countries, with German Foreign Minister Thomas de Maiziere saying on Monday that the government was exploring measures that may stop German citizens from travelling to participate in such conflicts. The minister added that "A foreign national can have his passport seized, or you can refuse him entry".
Meanwhile, police in Kosovo arrested 40 men on suspicion of having fought with Islamist groups in Iraq and Syria, seizing weapons and ammunition in a major police operation. See more from the BBC here.