New Delhi: Afghanistan officially complained to the UN Security Council against Pakistan’s recent engagements with the Taliban and called it a “violation of the national sovereignty of Afghanistan.” Meanwhile, Iran, irate over a terror strike by Pakistan-based Sunni group Jaish-al-Adl against 27 soldiers of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has vowed revenge.
In a strongly worded letter, Afghanistan’s UN envoy “called on the government of Pakistan to take decisive action against known terrorist and extremist groups on its territory, which pose a common threat to Afghanistan, Pakistan and the region. Any passivity in fulfilling this objective not only undermines broader counter terrorism efforts, but also have a profound impact in providing further space and capacity for such groups to continue attacks in Afghanistan and the wider region.”
IRGC commander and Major Gen Mohammad Ali Jafari said Iran would retaliate against Jaish-al-Adl if Pakistan fails to take action against it. India's foreign minister Sushma Swaraj met Iranian deputy foreign minister Seyyed Abbas Araqchi and exchanged condolences for the two almost simultaneous terror strikes against their respective security forces by Pakistan-based terror groups. After the meeting, Araqchi tweeted, “We agreed on close cooperation to combat terror in the region. Enough is enough!” Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has also promised retribution for the attack. IRGC was attacked by Jaish-al-Adl in the Sistan-Baluchistan province.
Afghanistan flagged the scheduled meeting between Taliban and Pakistani PM Imran Khan. “This initiative is a source of deep regret and concern to the people and government of Afghanistan as it amounts to the official legitimisation of an armed group that poses a serious threat to security of Afghanistan, and whose members are sanctioned by provisions of UNSC’s 1988 Committee’s Sanctions Regime.” Taliban’s meeting with Khan was cancelled, finally.
In the past couple of days, almost 60 US Congressmen and Senators have reached out to India to convey their support and condemn the attack. Across party lines, Senators Bob Menendez, John Cornyn, Mark Warner, Tom Cotton, Jack Reed, Ben Cardin, Marco Rubio, Chuck Schumer, Kevin Cramer, Cory Booker and Ben Cassidy among others offered condolences and said the US stood with India against terrorism.
