Taliban attacks: Afghan foreign minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar dials Dr S Jaishankar, calls for emergency UNSC session
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Atmar's phone conversation to Jaishankar on Tuesday evening happened to fall on the same day as a car bomb attack in Kabul on the home of defence minister Bismillah Mohammadi, which resulted in a fierce fight between the terrorists and security personnel.
Mohammad Haneef Atmar, the Afghan foreign minister, spoke to his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar on Tuesday about holding an emergency session of the UN Security Council to address the Taliban's brutality and crimes across Afghanistan.
India is the President of the United Nations Security Council for August and decides upon the work of the top United Nations body.
An Afghan government readout said Afghan FM called Dr S Jaishankar to "discuss convening an emergency UN Security Council Session on Afghanistan" and that the "UN & international community must play a greater role in stopping the unfolding tragedy in Afghanistan due to Taliban violence & atrocities. Appreciate the lead role of India as the current UNSC President. "
The development comes even as the Taliban has increased offensives in many parts of the country, including Herat, Kandahar, and Helmand. The Afghan foreign minister also briefed the foreign envoys, including Indian envoy Rudrendra Tandon, on the situation in his country and how the Taliban is being supported by international terror groups, including the Pakistan-based anti-India Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
On Monday, UNSC President, Indian envoy to the UN, T S Tirumurti, said, "The situation in Afghanistan is of deep concern to all members of the Security Council. We have seen in recent days, violence is only increasing and targeted killing has increased". He made the comments at the customary presser by the UNSC President on the first working day of the council.
He highlighted that "India has supported every opportunity that could bring peace, security, and stability to Afghanistan. We should address the question of violence and targeted attacks. "
A UN report said that the number of casualties from May to June exceeded the number between January and April. Recently, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) compound in Herat came under attack, something that was condemned by the international community.
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