Afghanistan witnessing terror redux, says UN chief Guterres
May 12, 2022
Kabul [Afghanistan], May 13 : Terrorism is resurgent in Afghanistan and it could become a global threat, said UN Chief Antonio Guterres during a human rights conference.
He made these remarks during a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights, Civil Society, and Counter-Terrorism Conference in Spain. A series of blasts and vulnerable security conditions in Afghanistan, especially for the minorities has drawn worldwide condemnation, including from the United Nations (UN), the EU, the US, and others.
Addressing the gathering, Guterres said, "As a moral duty, a legal obligation, and a strategic imperative, let's put human rights where they belong -- front and center -- in the fight against terror," reported Khaama Press.
UN Secretary-General stated that the response to terrorism must be founded on the rule of law, respect for human rights, and gender equality.
He pointed out that the threat of terrorism is global and continuously increasing. Guterres spoke on the expansion of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and al-Qaeda in Africa and the resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan.
Among those who attended the gathering were governments, organizations, civil society activists, and human rights defenders. It was a two-day counter-terrorism meeting to address the challenges posed by the issue, as per the media outlet.
The Taliban which is under UN sanctions over terrorist activities took over Kabul in August last year and has established an interim government led by Mohammad Hasan Akhund, a prominent member of the first Taliban cabinet. The country has since been facing a humanitarian crisis with economic distress and food shortages.