India has called for concerted action to isolate and root out the syndicate of terrorism, including elements of the Taliban, Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Assuring that it will continue to stand by Afghanistan, India has called for concerted action to isolate and root out the “syndicate of terrorism”, including elements of the Taliban, Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
“Afghanistan is going through critical security, political and economic transitions,” in the run up to drawdown of US forces in 2014, India’s deputy permanent UN representative, Manjeev Singh Puri, said on Thursday participating in a Security Council Debate on UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.
Citing the Aug 3 attack on the Indian Consulate in Jalalabad, he said “The security situation in Afghanistan is fragile not due to the weakness or inabilities of the valiant Afghan Security forces, but due to the continued threat of terrorist and extremist groups.”
Asserting that “India does not have an ‘exit policy’ in Afghanistan and will not be deterred by such attacks,” Puri said, ” We do not see this attack as only aimed against India, but also against the efforts of the Afghan people to overcome the tragic consequences of the last several decades of war and conflict.”
Noting that many of the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan have been coordinated by the Taliban along with the Al Qaeda and their affiliates, Puri said it was “important that the transition plan takes into account the threats posed by these terrorist organizations.”
“Concerted action is also needed to isolate and root out the syndicate of terrorism, which includes elements of the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba and other terrorist and extremist groups,” he said.
Calling 2014 as “an important watershed for Afghanistan” Puri said the international community’s support for Afghanistan would be critical and assured that “India will continue to stand by Afghanistan during this period of transition and thereafter”
-IANS
