New Global Grouping Meets to Counter Islamic State Finances

Officials from the United States, Italy and Saudi Arabia led talks in Rome this week among a group of countries seeking to combat the financial activities of Islamic State militants, the US Treasury said on Friday.

Officials held an inaugural meeting on Thursday and Friday of the Counter-ISIL Finance Group (CIFG), which countries will use to exchange information and develop countermeasures.

ISIL is an acronym often used for the militants, who control swaths of Iraq and Syria.

The next meeting of the CIFG is scheduled for May in Saudi Arabia, the Treasury said in a statement.

The CIFG includes Australia, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Poland, Qatar, Spain, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The European Union also participates.