Nothing to worry about: Army Gen on Taliban fallout

SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: An Indian Army general said on Sunday said the security situation in the Kashmir valley is under control and there is nothing to worry about on concerns about possible fallout of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan.

“This is a playground and I do not want to comment about the outsiders. But remember, the security situation here (Kashmir) is in our control and there is nothing to worry about it,” said Lieutenant General DP Pandey, the General Officer Commanding of the Army’s 15 Corps. He was responding to a question on potential security challenges in Kashmir after Taliban claimed control of the war torn country.

The GOC’S statement, made at a sporting event in Srinagar, comes days after chief of defence staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat said that India is concerned about terrorist activity in Afghanistan spilling over into the country, but contingency plans are in place to deal with such a scenario.

The comments come in the wake of Taliban wresting control of Afghanistan, including capital Kabul, as Western troops left the country to end their 20-year involvement there.

Rawat, the country’s seniormost military commander, also said India anticipated the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan but its rapid pace was still a surprise. “From the Indian perspective, we were anticipating the Taliban takeover. We were concerned about terrorist activity overflowing into India from Afghanistan. Our contingency planning is ongoing, and we are prepared for that,” Rawat said.

With the Taliban now firmly in control of nearly all of Afghanistan, the biggest concern for Indian security agencies is the presence there of between 7,000 and 10,000 terrorists from Pakistan-based groups such as Lashkar-e-taiba, Jaish-e-mohammed, Haqqani Network, Lashkar-e-jhangvi and Tehreeke-taliban Pakistan. These groups have targeted Indian interests in Afghanistan in the past, and some like LET have carried out attacks on Indian soil.

The CDS remarks at an event on August 25 also hinted at India’s stand on dealing with the Taliban.

Rawat said the group, which was ousted from power in Afghanistan by Us-led coalition forces in 2001, was the same Taliban that existed 20 years ago. “All that has happened is that partners have now changed. It is the same Taliban …We will make sure that any activity which is likely to flow out of Afghanistan and find its way into India will be dealt with in the manner in which we are dealing with terrorism in the country,” he had said.

With evacuations of Indian citizens and vulnerable Afghans currently the focus, New Delhi has so far maintained a cautious approach on the issue of recognising a Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

“The situation on the ground is uncertain...currently, there is a lack of clarity or no clarity about any entity forming a government in Kabul. I think we are jumping the gun here regarding recognition,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a press briefing on Friday.