Won’t accept a govt imposed by force in Afghanistan: UNSC

NEW DELHI: Members of the UN Security Council on Friday made it clear the world community wouldn’t accept any government forcibly imposed in Afghanistan by the Taliban, even as India called for the dismantling of terror safe havens and sanctuaries in Pakistan.

A meeting of the Security Council held under the Indian presidency to discuss the situation in Afghanistan was given a grim briefing on the fallout of the Taliban’s massive campaign of violence and attacks by Deborah Lyons, the UN secretary-general’s special representative, who said the country was at a “dangerous turning point”.

Most of the representatives of the 15 permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council strongly opposed any military takeover of the Taliban and the representatives of France and the US said further exemptions from sanctions on Taliban leaders, especially for travel, would be affected by failure to end violence.

India holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for August and played a key role in organising the meeting on Afghanistan. TS Tirumurti, India’s envoy to the UN, listed the surge in Taliban attacks and violence, including the suicide assault on the home of the Afghan defence minister and the killing of Indian journalist Danish Siddiqui, and said the rapid deterioration of security poses a “serious threat to regional peace and stability”.

In an obvious reference to Pakistan, Tirumurti said: “For enduring peace in Afghanistan, terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries in the region must be dismantled immediately and terrorist supply chains disrupted. It needs to be ensured that Afghanistan’s neighbours and the region are not threatened by terrorism, separatism and extremism.”

He called for “zero tolerance” for all forms of terrorism, and said it is equally important to ensure Afghan soil isn’t used by terror groups to threaten or attack any other country. “Those providing material and financial support to terrorist entities must be held accountable,” he added.

The world community should “decide on actions that would help bring a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire”, and ensure the Taliban “engage in negotiations in good faith, eschew the path of violence, severe ties with al-qaeda and other terrorist organisations, and fully commit itself towards reaching a political solution”, Tirumurti added.

The Afghan envoy to the UN, Ghulam M Isaczai, was more scathing in his criticism of Pakistan’s role in backing the Taliban, which he said was being assisted in acts of barbarism by “foreign fighters from trans-national terrorist networks”. The Taliban have launched more than 5,500 attacks since mid-april with support from more than 10,000 foreign fighters representing 20 groups, including al-qaeda, Lashkar-e-taiba (LET), Tehreek-e-taliban Pakistan (TTP), Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and Islamic State.

“Importantly, the Taliban continue to enjoy a safe haven in and supply and logistics line extended to their war machine from Pakistan. Graphic reports and video of Taliban fighters congregating close to the Durand Line to enter Afghanistan, fund-raising events, transfer of dead bodies for mass burial and treatment of injured Taliban in Pakistani hospitals are emerging and are widely available,” Isaczai said. “Consistent with the agreement of the leadership of Afghanistan and Pakistan in Tashkent last month, we urge Pakistan to help with removing and dismantling of Taliban sanctuaries and supply lines and establish with us a joint monitoring and verification mechanism to make the fight against terrorism and international efforts for peace effective and credible,” he added.

For enduring peace in Afghanistan, terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries in the region must be dismantled... and terrorist supply chains disrupted. TS TIRUMURTI, India’s envoy to UN