Security generally is improving in Afghanistan, making it a favourable time to transfer power to the Kabul government and hold peace talks with the Taliban, the UN special envoy to the country said Wednesday. International diplomat Staffan de Mistura declared that Afghanistan finds itself at a "special crossroad," despite a spate of recent attacks that have left scores dead in recent weeks.
The violence includes fighting Wednesday that killed up to 33 police and five civilians, after Taliban crossed over from Pakistan and attacked a remote region in eastern Afghanistan. Still, de Mistura, who heads up the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, said it is a propitious time to lay the groundwork for the next phase of governance, in which Afghanistan takes responsibility for its own security and governance.
"Transition: it's like a train and it's moving forward. According to every indicator I have, it is on track," the envoy said at a meeting of the UN Security Council. As far as Afghanistan's overall security situation is concerned, there exists "the perception of an improvement, which is true," he said. Still, de Mistura acknowledged the carnage of the past several weeks, amid a continuing barrage of border attacks along Afghanistan's border with Pakistan.
Comments
Comments are closed.