It has been a while that the regional countries have expressed their deep concern over the rise of terrorism activities in Afghanistan and had repeatedly asked the Taliban rulers to stop turning the country into a hub for extremist groups.
The Taliban had always assured the neighbors and the world community that there are no terrorist groups in Afghanistan and the Taliban will not let any groups use Afghan soil against any countries in the region. Indeed, terrorism emanating from Afghanistan will be a driver of insecurity in the region and further afield and the threat coming from Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda terrorist network still exists.
In August, the UN Security Council committee had reported that extremist groups with thousands of fighters endanger the security of Afghanistan’s neighbors and pose a growing threat globally.
The report identified IS-K, the Afghanistan branch of IS, as the most serious threat in the Central and South Asia region, adding that the group was “projecting terror beyond Afghanistan”.
Chinese envoy expressed concern over the presence of over 20 terrorist groups in Afghanistan
China’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, had expressed concern over the presence of over 20 terrorist groups in Afghanistan. He said that these groups are posing security threats to China and the countries around the region. “Many countries share concerns about the security risks posed by terrorism in Afghanistan,” Mr. Yue said in an interview with the Beijing International Dialogue Center. However, Mr. Yue said that before the US intervention in Afghanistan in 2001, there were less terrorist groups compared to today.
“When the United States and NATO initially intervened, there were only one or two terrorist groups in the country. Now, after 20 years of occupation, there are more than 20,” he lamented. He also went on saying that China does not seek influence or control in Afghanistan, and emphasized over formation of a moderate and inclusive government. He also said that Afghanistan should “become for all parties to cooperate rather than becoming a geopolitical arena (competition)”.
He furthered that over the past three years, China has provided Afghanistan with 470 million yuan (approximately $64 million) in humanitarian aid and is negotiating an additional 1 million yuan in assistance with the Taliban.
Yue reassured China’s support for a stable and developed Afghanistan
Yue said that China is supporting Afghanistan in its path toward peace and stability, but said that this achievement could not be achieved sans an inclusive and moderate government.
“China supports achieving lasting peace, sustainable stability, and reconstruction in Afghanistan,” Yue said, adding that this includes “building a national political framework, forming a moderate and inclusive government, continuing humanitarian and developmental aid, enhancing security—especially cybersecurity—and working together for shared development.”
He also made it clear that China has no intention to interfere into internal affairs of Afghanistan, but said that there is need to address Afghanistan’s most pressing challenges, including humanitarian crisis, food shortages, refugee displacement, and terrorism.
Yue has traveled to Pakistan on Monday to discuss regional issues and bilateral ties concerning Afghanistan. Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statment said that during his visit, Mr. Yue held “comprehensive discussions” with Amina Baloch, Pakistan’s deputy foreign minister, and Ahmad Naseem Waraich, the deputy foreign minister for Afghanistan and West Asia.
