India warns of foreign-backed terrorist threats to Afghanistan
As the UN-mandated international combat mission in Afghanistan enters its final days after a democratic transfer of power, a Security Council debate put the spotlight on the terrorist threats to the fragile nation with India warning of the support extremists get from abroad and tying together the this week's deadly attacks in Kabul, Peshawar and Sydney.
India's Acting Permanent Representative Bhagwant S. Bishnoi told the Security Council Thursday that those responsible for the "evil scourge of terrorism" have managed to survive "immense military pressure" in only because they "continue to benefit from support from beyond Afghanistan's borders, and continue to access resources from transnational terrorist and criminal networks."
He added, "The attacks in Kabul, Sydney and Peshawar only underline the fact terrorists do not respect borders, and make no differentiation between states. They pose a common threat to humanity." Bishnoi said UN Special Representative for Afghanistan Nicholas Haysom should focus on this problem.
Haysom, in his briefing to the Security Council, noted that till November-end there were more civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan than any other year since 2008, with civilian casualties increasing 19 pe cent from last year.
"The recent increase in security incidents is a cause for concern," he said. "It is too early to assess whether this surge is timed to coincide with the withdrawal of international military forces, or will become the new normal."
Striking a defiant note, Afghanistan Ambassador Zahir Tanin said, "As they commit acts of violence and brutality against innocent men, women and children, extremist armed groups should know that the courageous Afghan security forces stand ready to fight for the future of Afghan democracy, peace and security."
Pakistan, which is reeling from the Taliban massacre of 132 school children, also joined in targeting terrorism, with Deputy Permanent Representative Sahebzada Ahmed Khan calling it a common enemy, which must be fought by common endeavours and without distinction.
United States Ambassador Samantha Power recalled the sacrifices made by "2,200 Americans and more than 1,200 citizens" of International Security Assistance Force nations "to root out terrorism and try to build a more stable and a more secure Afghanistan." She referred to the rising wave of the terrorist attacks, in particular the one at a volleyball game that killed more than 50 people and said that "those responsible for such attacks must be neutralized and must be brought to justice."
Most countries did not specify the terror groups, but Russia and Iran named names. Russian Ambassador Vitaly I. Churkin said that the Taliban and Al Qaeda were still active but this was notably absent from the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's report on the Afghan situation.
Teheran "strongly condemns all violent attacks committed by the Taliban, A1 Qaeda and other violent and extremist groups," Iranian Ambassador G. Hossein Dehghani said. "We condemn any cooperation with and encouragement provided to these groups ."
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India warns of foreign-backed terrorist threats to Afghanistan