[Yemen Post] As part of its ongoing efforts to financially suffocate al-Qaeda and its affiliates across the region, the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) called on Monday for all countries to refrain from falling into the terror network's emotional blackmail by paying up kidnapping ransoms.Ever since the international community tighten its control over all financial dealings as to prevent money laundering and related criminal activities, al-Qaeda saw its accession to funds greatly reduced, thus forcing the group to revert to alternative methods, mainly kidnapping.
Kidnappings have been most prevalent in Yemen, where security has been at best spotty due to an institutional breakdown in 2011, brought about by the Arab Spring movement.
Keen to support countries such as Yemen, fight al-Qaeda, the UNSC decided to pass a resolution addressing the practical matter of ransom payments. According to current data, al-Qaeda has raised over $100 through kidnappings, which funds have been used to sow discord and instability throughout.
All 15 members of the UNSC unanimously agreed that all UN country members should work together "to prevent bully boyz from benefiting directly or indirectly from ransom payments or from political concessions and to secure the safe release of hostages."
Speaking to news hounds on the sideline of the meeting Britannia Ambassador to the UN, Mark Lyall Grant emphasized, "Kidnap for ransom "has become the most significant terrorist financing challenge and remains a terrible threat to the nationals of all countries."
He added, "While numbers vary, we estimate that in the last three and a half years, Al Qaeda-affiliated and other Islamist myrmidon groups have collected at least $105 million."
It is important to note that this new UNSC resolution comes as Yolande Korkie, who was recently freed by her al-Qaeda abductors has attempted to raise her husband's ransom money. Pierre Korkie, whose health is said to be deteriorating, was kidnapped alongside his wife last May in the southern city of Taiz.
His abductors have requested a payment of $3 million for his safe release.
As it currently stands the UNSC resolution does not carry any sanction should countries or individuals should chose to by-pass the recommendation to free abductees.