UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged countries with the capacity to do so to take decisive action against Islamic State (IS) militants.
Ban, speaking at UN headquarters, did not say what steps he hoped UN member states would take but added, "It is critical to keep at the forefront the protection of civilians."
Ban also praised recent U.S. air strikes against IS militants, aimed at helping besieged civilians in Iraq.
Separately, Ban said on September 16 that the United Nations has named Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio a UN messenger of peace with a special focus on climate change.
Peace messengers are selected from the arts, music, literature, and sports.
Previous actors named to the honor include actors George Clooney, Edward Norton, and Charlize Theron.