NewsGate Press Network

By Vineet Dikshit

Breaking silence over the dramatic happenings in Afghanistan, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that ISIL-Khorasan expanding its footprint right in India’s neighborhood has serious implications for international security.

MEA Jaishankar was speaking at the special meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 19 August  convened to discuss the most important issue facing the world community – ‘Threats to International Peace and Security caused by Terrorist Acts’.

ISIL-Khorasan (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province) is an independent branch of Syria-Iraq based terror group that has allegedly expanded its tentacles over South and Central Asia.

In his hard hitting speech EAM Jaishankar was direct in pointing out that terrorist outfits such as Haqqani Network, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed ‘continue to operate with both impunity and encouragement (from their patrons)’.

Here is the link to EAM S Jaishankar’s speech at the UNSC.

“What is true of Covid is true of terrorism. No one is safe until all of us are safe… (But) Some countries undermine our collective resolve,” EAM said.  And added while hinting towards China  that  “When we see state hospitality being extended to those with blood on their hands, we must call out the doublespeak”.

It should be recalled that China had hosted a Taliban delegation on 28 July last month.

A photograph bearing the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi with the visiting Taliban delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Tianjin gave more than one indication that China tacitly gives legitimacy to the Taliban.

India also renewed its call to the UN body to end the stalemate on adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. Added to this External Affairs Minister also repeated his call to further strengthen the FATF and
provide greater funding to the UN Office of Counter Terrorism.

The Minister also said that terrorists are becoming increasingly tech savy and are reportedly using Bitcoins as virtual currency to further their cause.