Islamic State militants are shown massacring captured Iraqi soldiers in this picture posted on the extremist group’s website on June 14, 2014. Foreign ministers from several Arab states are meeting in Jeddah on Sunday to discuss the Syrian conflict and the rise of Islamic State jihadists.

The Kingdom will host foreign ministers from Arab countries at a meeting to be held today to discuss pressing regional developments, a senior official from the Foreign Affairs Ministry told Arab News on Saturday.

Osama Nugali, director of the information department at the ministry, said that the meeting will take place in Jeddah.

Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the UAE are to take part in talks.

According to a statement made by the Foreign Ministry in Cairo, the meeting will focus on the Syrian conflict and the rise of Islamic State (IS) militants.

“The threat posed by IS to regional security prompted this meeting, which will come up with political solutions to the problem,” said the statement, cited by news agencies. It added that the rise of IS meant that the “search for a political solution to the Syrian crisis is needed more than ever.”

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry was slated to arrive in Jeddah late on Saturday to prepare for Sunday’s meeting.

Also on Saturday, Qatar condemned the Islamic State’s “barbaric” murder of US journalist James Foley.

“Qatar does not support extremist groups, including ISIS, in any way. We are repelled by their views, their violent methods and their ambitions,” Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Attiyah said in a statement released in London.

“The vision of extremist groups for the region is one that we have not, nor will ever, support in any way.”

Al-Attiyah said Qatar’s goal was to do all it could to see peace and justice across the region and called for collective action to end the violence in Iraq and Syria.

He urged the Iraqi government to provide safety and security for its citizens and vowed that Qatar would continue to provide humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people.

“The killing of innocent civilians and the forced flight of hundreds of thousands of people threatens the very existence of Iraq and the peace and security of the entire region,” he said.

“Along with many other countries from the Middle East and wider international community, we have supported the Syrian opposition to the Assad regime.”

 
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