UNSC Expresses Concern On Taliban's Offensive In Afghanistan, Says It Does Not Support Restoration Of Islamic Emirate

Days after India taking over the presidency of the United Nations Security Council for the month of August, the UN body has condemned the terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and expressed deep concern on Taliban's military offensive.

The UNSC further called for political settlement and ceasefire, and declared that it does not support restoration of an Islamic Emirate under the Taliban.

"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," UNSC President and India's Permanent Representative to the UN T S Tirumurti said in a statement on Tuesday (3 August).

"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 emphasised that all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law in all circumstances, including those related to the protection of civilians.

The UNSC also underlined that deliberate attacks targeting civilians, United Nations personnel and 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.

The Council members also stressed the need for full, equal and meaningful participation of women in the Afghan peace process.

The members reaffirmed that reaffirmed that there is no military solution to the conflict, and declared that they do not support the restoration of the Islamic Emirate, the statement added.

It should be noted that the statement comes after India took the Presidency of the UNSC on Sunday (1 August) for August from France.