After India took over the presidency of the United Nations Security Council on Sunday (1 August) from France, the UN body has condemned the terrorist attacks carried out by the Taliban in Afghanistan and expressed deep concern.
The UNSC further called for a political settlement and ceasefire and made it very clear in no uncertain term that it does not support restoration of an Islamic Emirate under the Taliban.
After the Taliban attacked the United Nations compound in Herat, UNSC President and India’s Permanent Representative to the UN T S Tirumurti in a statement said, “The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the deplorable attack against the United Nations compound in Herat, Afghanistan, on 30 July, which resulted in the death of an Afghan security forces guard and several injured,”.
“The members of the Security Council expressed their deep concern about the high levels of violence in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s military offensive, and called for an immediate reduction of violence,” the statement said.
The UNSC condemned in the “strongest terms all instances of terrorism and deliberate targeted attacks against civilians”.
The Council members strongly emphasised that all parties in Afghanistan must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law in all circumstances, including those related to the protection of civilians, United Nations personnel and attacks on United Nations compounds may constitute war crimes, and “stressed the urgent and imperative need to bring the perpetrators to justice”.
The Council further asked both the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban to engage meaningfully in an inclusive, “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned” peace process in order to make urgent progress towards a political settlement and a ceasefire.
“The members of the Security Council recognised that a sustainable peace can be achieved only through a comprehensive and inclusive Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process that aims at a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, as well as an inclusive, just and realistic political settlement to end the conflict in Afghanistan,” the statement said.
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