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Letter from Belgium regarding its right to self-defence against ISIL

United Nations
Security Council

S/2016/523

Distr.: General
9 June 2016
Original: English

Letter dated 7 June 2016 from the Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

On behalf of my Government, I am writing the present letter to report to the Security Council that, in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, the Kingdom of Belgium is taking necessary and proportionate measures against the terrorist organization "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL, also known as Da'esh) in Syria in the exercise of the right of collective self-defence, in response to the request from the Government of Iraq.

The Security Council determined in its resolution 2249 (2015) of 20 November 2015 that ISIL constituted a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security and it called upon Member States to eradicate the safe haven that ISIL had established over significant parts of Iraq and Syria. In that respect, the Security Council noted the letters dated 25 June 2014 (S/2014/440) and 20 September 2014 (S/2014/691) from the Government of Iraq stating that ISIL had established a safe haven outside of the borders of Iraq that was a direct threat to the security of the Iraqi people and territory.

ISIL has occupied a certain part of Syrian territory over which the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic does not, at this time, exercise effective control. In the light of this exceptional situation, States that have been subjected to armed attack by ISIL originating in that part of the Syrian territory are therefore justified under Article 51 of the Charter to take necessary measures of self-defence. Exercising the right of collective self-defence, Belgium will support the military measures of those States that have been subjected to attacks by ISIL. Those measures are directed against the so-called "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant" and not against the Syrian Arab Republic.

I request that the present letter be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Benedicte Frankinet
Ambassador
Permanent Representative

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