Afghanistan reminds UNSC of terrorists finding safe havens in Pakistan

In a veiled reference to the recent killing of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Pakistan, the Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to United Nations Mahmoud Saikal voiced concern over Pakistan emerging as a safe haven for terrorists.

"The fact that terrorist leaders had been found and killed in safe havens in Pakistan was proof that it had violated the sovereignty of other nations," Khaama Press quoted Saikal, as saying before the UN Security Council.

Saikal also called for urgent implementation of Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 2255 (2015).

Kabul have long been criticizing Islamabad for allowing the Afghan militant groups including the Taliban and Haqqani terrorist network to use its soil as safe havens and carry out attacks in Afghanistan.

The Afghan officials say that the leadership councils of the

Taliban and Haqqani terrorist network are based in Quetta and Peshawar cities of Pakistan.

He also informed the Security Council regarding the provocative actions at the Torkham border.

"Make no mistake, the proud Government and people of Afghanistan have not, do not and will not surrender to intimidation, violence and aggression. Our history is testimony to this," he said.

Talking about the peace talks which was scheduled to take place with the Taliban group on April, Saikal said the Taliban instead on April 12 responded with a spring offensive, during which it suffered heavy losses at the hands of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces.

Saikal also informed the council that Islamic State and Al-Qaida continued to position themselves to remerge in Afghanistan,

while other regional terrorist networks with links to Central Asian republics, Chechnya and China were highly active.

"Tehrik-i-Taliban remained a long-term threat. Most of those terrorist groups enjoyed support from within the State structure of Pakistan, he said, adding that it was imperative for the international community to establish objective criteria to identify and confront State sponsorship of terrorism," he added.