India flags concern over foreign fighters' presence in Afghan

Image
Press Trust of India United Nations
Last Updated : Jun 23 2015 | 1:28 PM IST
In a veiled attack on Pakistan, India has told the UN that it is "obvious" that thousands of foreign fighters in Afghanistan could not have entered it or sustain their terror attacks without support from beyond the war-torn country's borders.
India's Ambassador to the UN Asoke Mukerji, participating in a Security Council Debate on the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan (UNAMA), expressed strong condemnation over the terrorist attack on the Afghan Parliament yesterday.
He said India has "noted with concern" the UN Secretary General's reference to an Afghan Ministry of Interior estimate that 7,180 'foreign fighters' are presently in Afghanistan.
"It is obvious that they could not have entered Afghanistan, or continue to sustain their terror attacks without support from beyond Afghanistan's borders," he said as he cited the latest report of the Secretary General, which mentions that there's been an increase of 45 per cent in armed clashes from 2014.
The report also highlights that 71 per cent of the violence has been concentrated in the southern, south-eastern and eastern regions in this period.
"These statistics are a matter of concern for India and the international community. It only reinforces our view that terrorism, and not tribal differences or ethnic rivalries is the main source of insecurity and instability in Afghanistan," Mukerji said.
The Indian envoy said the spurt in violence is taking place at a time when Afghanistan is in the midst of a "sensitive and historical" political transition under the leadership of President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jun 23 2015 | 1:28 PM IST

Next Story