UN: Afghanistan again becomes epicentre of terrorism

Once again, Afghanistan becomes the epicenter of the terrorism spreading. UN Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov stated this on Wednesday, speaking at a conference organized by the permanent missions of Russia and China that was dedicated to the implementation of the Convention of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to combat extremism.

“This event is very timely, especially in the context of the conclusions of the 14th report of the Group for Analytical Support and Monitoring of Sanctions against the Taliban,” Voronkov said.  That document is very deep and informative, and in fact it shows that Afghanistan is slowly turning again into almost the main epicenter - maybe even main one - of spreading of terrorism. Despite all the promises, and all the loud declarations, the facts show otherwise.”

“The de facto government of [Afghanistan] is unable or unwilling to curb the terrorist threat,” the UN Under-Secretary-General said.

According to him, the Central Asian region still faces difficult geopolitical realities due to the heightened terrorist threat emanating from groups in neighboring Afghanistan. “The fragile state in this state is further exacerbated by the humanitarian crisis and serious violations of human rights,” Voronkov noted. “These circumstances emphasize the need for our collective and ongoing commitment to countering terrorism and violent extremism, as well as efforts to promote peace and security in the region.”