Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, today met the new Iraqi Ambassador to Ireland, Mr. Faik Nerweyi, to discuss the unfolding crisis in Iraq.

Crowe met Ambassador Nerweyi as part of a Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee meeting in Leinster House.

Speaking after the meeting, Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The deteriorating situation in Iraq is of local, regional and international concern and today the Foreign Affairs Committee held a very frank and detailed discussion with the Iraqi Ambassador to Ireland.

“The sectarian Islamist group, The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), have now taken over vast swathes of land in the north and west of Iraq, including the second-biggest city, Mosul.

“ISIS are known for their extremist and sectarian beliefs which have been brutally enforced in areas they have conquered, causing massive human rights abuses and executions.

“The capture of Mosul and other areas and cities in Iraq has created a massive exodus of people and an unfolding humanitarian crisis.

“The latest rise of ISIS is very worrying, especially their power and ability to gain and control vast amounts of land. The amount of money and military hardware they have been able to capture has given them an ability far behind beyond their size.

Crowe continued:

“I informed the Ambassador of Sinn Féin’s secularism and our complete opposition to sectarian groups like ISIS.

“I impressed on him our desire that going forward the Iraqi Government needs to work towards an inclusive political framework to end this crisis. So far the Iraqi Government has lacked inclusivity and has centralised power around a handful of individuals.

“Another worrying development is that in reply to one of my questions today they Tánaiste stated that it was the Irish Government’s belief that there are 40 Irish passport holders fighting with ISIS in Iraq.”

ENDS