Italy worried about ISIS, says Gentiloni - update 2

(ANSA) - Riga, May 22 - Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni admitted Friday that the Italian government was worried about the recent advances made by the ISIS Islamist militant group in Syria and Iraq. "The Italian government is not just worried about Syria, but also about the perhaps even more threatening situation in Iraq," Gentiloni said. The minister added that the anti-ISIS coalition will meet soon in Paris to discuss strategy. ISIS, which has destroyed a series of ancient monuments, this week took control of the Palmyra archaeological site and is estimated to control about half of Syria. In Iraq, the jihadist group recently captured Ramadi and has vowed to "liberate" Baghdad and Karbala.
    "In a few days time there will be a meeting of the heads of the anti-Daesh (ISIS) coalition in Paris and it will be fundamentally important to verify the strategy that we go ahead with," Gentiloni said.