On Tuesday, the United Nations Security Council released a press statement “on the escalating violence in Afghanistan,” condemning the attack against the UN compound in Herat, Afghanistan on July 30. The attack had left an Afghan security forces guard dead and several others were injured.
The statement expressed the deepest sympathy of the Security Council members towards the family of the victim, also wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.
Further, in the statement, the members of the Security Council also expressed “their deep concern about the high levels of violence in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s military offensive, and called for an immediate reduction of violence.”
And expressed their deep concern on the number of reported serious “human rights abuses and violations in communities affected by the ongoing armed conflict across the country.”
The members also condemned all instances of terrorism and deliberate targeted attacks against civilians. And reiterated that all parties were supposed to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law in all circumstances, including those related to the protection of civilians.
The members also underlined that “deliberate attacks targeting civilians, UN personnel and UN compounds may constitute war crimes, and stressed the urgent and imperative need to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
The members of the Security Council also reiterated their support to the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), and in this regard, emphasized the importance of the
safety and security of UN personnel.
They called on “both the Islamic Republic and the Taliban to engage meaningfully in an inclusive, Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process in order to make urgent progress towards a political settlement and a ceasefire.”
The members recognized that sustainable peace can be achieved only through a comprehensive and inclusive Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process that aims at a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire, as well as an inclusive, just, and realistic political settlement to end the conflict in Afghanistan.
The members stressed the need for full, equal and meaningful participation of women in this regard.
The members of the Security Council recalled UNSC resolution 2513 (2020), reaffirmed that there is no
military solution to the conflict, and declared that they do not support the restoration of the Islamic
Emirate.