Advertisement

LIVE: Lashkar, Jaish Still Operate With Impunity Whether Against India or in Afghanistan: Jaishankar at UNSC

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, spoke on the issue of Afghanistan’s takeover by the Taliban, and the scourge of terrorism upon the world.

Jaishankar, in a veiled criticism of Pakistan, said whether it was in Afghanistan or against India, groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed continue to operate with both impunity and encouragement.

“In our own immediate neighborhood, ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K) has become more energetic and is constantly seeking to expand its footprint. Events unfolding in Afghanistan have naturally enhanced global concerns about their implications for both regional and international security," he said.

Several people were killed on Thursday in the Afghan city of Asadabad in Kunar province when Taliban fighters fired on people waving the national flag at an Independence Day rally, reported Reuters.

It was not clear if the casualties came from the firing or from a stampede it triggered, witness Mohammed Salim was quoted as saying by Reuters.

At least twelve people have been killed at the Hamid Karzai international airport in Kabul since Sunday as many Afghans and foreign nationals scrambled to leave the country. Reportedly, many Americans were not even allowed to enter the airport and were being violently turned away.

Despite reports of Taliban fighters blocking Afghans from reaching the airport, Taliban officials insist they are not hindering access, but attempting to control crowds. "We don't want to hurt anyone at the airport," said a Taliban official to France24.