Muslim countries unite to fight back against terror

The fight against terror is only half won on the battlefield. Successes against Daesh in strife-torn Syria and Iraq — the reclaiming of territory from the most brutal group in recent history has come at a price. Lives and economies have been destroyed, families have been torn apart and a migration crisis is spinning out of control. Worse, a violent mindset or mentality that harbours revenge and hate has taken root and spread. Former Daesh mercenaries have returned to their countries of origin which is of concern to many governments, particularly in Europe. Islam, a peaceful religion, has been used by these bigoted minds to further a violent but futile cause. The Middle East, the hub of civilization, culture and religions, is struggling to find a peaceful direction after decades of conflict that has fuelled more poverty and destruction. A hateful ideology has found its way among the youth — impressionable minds — many of whom are finding jobs hard to find in this vicious circle of violence that is consuming their lives every waking hour. Sectarianism is being stoked by countries like Iran for their own ends.

Regional domination is the goal for the regime in Tehran while Israel continues to occupy Palestinian lands. Whither justice for the oppressed? How do we rid ourselves of this hatred that threatens to consume the region and become an industry, that powers the engines of so-called war economies. Saudi Arabia and 40 other countries have renewed their commitment to tackle terror head on. At the meeting in Riyadh, Muslim countries said their peaceful religion had been used by some sick minds to spread intolerance. The message that emanated from the summit was this: we will find a solution, and there is unity in our ranks. More importantly, they were honest and admitted the problem in their midst. ‘An attack against one of our members is an attack against us’, they seemed to suggest. Countries like Iran and Qatar, which are the hubs of terror, would do well to heed the warning.