STRASBOURG. – There are worrying signs that ISIS aims to destabilise not only Syria, but other regions, including the South Caucasus, member of the Armenian delegation to PACE Hermine Naghdalyan said during the PACE spring session.

“As you well know, on 2 April, Azerbaijan unleashed a large-scale aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh. Many media have reported the participation of Islamic State fighters in the ranks of the Azerbaijani army. Perhaps the presence and guidance of these thugs could explain the barbaric acts of violence committed by Azeri forces during four days of war,” she said in her address to PACE.

Ms. Naghdalyan, vice chairman of the Armenian parliament, noted that the list of war crimes includes the bombardment of civilian targets, including schools, using heavy rocket launchers, killing and mutilating civilians – children and elderly people – and ISIS-style beheading of already dead soldiers and showing off the heads to the cheering public.

“The senseless bloodshed in Nagorno-Karabakh has been stopped, for now, by the courage of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. However, credible fears remain about the possible expansion of ISIS to new regions that will definitely bring new wars and tragedies,” she added.

The Armenian delegate also reflected on the reports about Turkey’s support for terrorists.

“Last March, the European Union and Turkey reached an agreement to stem the flow of migrants arriving on the Greek coast. According to this agreement, Turkey must receive more than €6 billion until the end of 2018, to cover the costs of dealing with the influx of refugees. Reached under the almost open blackmailing of Turkey, this agreement is being heavily  criticised for various reasons. The country receives billions of euros to manage migration flows, which are generated in part by the actions of Islamic State. However, according to media reports, there are claims that Turkey is financially supporting Islamic State by purchasing oil from the terrorist group at low prices. The Daily Mail reported in August 2014 that many foreigners had joined the terrorist organisation in Syria and Iraq after travelling through Turkey. Thus Turkey appears to be a hub of the terrorist organisation.”