MOSCOW, September 29. /TASS/. Broad coalition for fighting against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization is hardly possible now, and exchanging information and coordinating actions should be on top of the agenda at the current stage, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences Vitaly Naumkin told a press conference in TASS on Tuesday.
"Full-fledged coalition is hardly possible today," Naumkin said. "However, there are common interests, exchange of information, and this is important. Not many people want IS to exist," he noted.
"The main task now is to coordinate actions, exchange information, agree on informing each other about each other’s actions," Naumkin explained. The expert said "it is important to involve other interested countries that also face a terrorist threat." Among such countries are India, China, Pakistan and Egypt.
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Islamic State terrorist group
The Islamic State is an extremist organization banned in Russia. In 2013-2014, it called itself the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). In June 2014, IS announce the establishment of the "Islamic caliphate" on the territories seized in Iraq and Syria. According to US’ Central Intelligence Agency, the extremist group includes around 30,000 people, while Iraqi authorities claim there are around 200,000 in IS. Among members of the group are citizens of 80 countries, including France, Great Britain, Germany, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, US, Canada, as well as Russia and other CIS countries. According to reports, militants now control around 40% of the Iraqi territory and 50% of the Syrian territory.