UNSC meeting on Afghan govt’s request today

NEW YORK: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC), under the Presidency of India, will meet on August 6 (today) to discuss the worsening security situation in Afghanistan, international media reported.

The decision to hold the open UNSC briefing on Afghanistan comes just a day after Afghanistan Foreign Minister Mohammed Haneef Atmar spoke with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar "to discuss convening an emergency UN Security Council Session” on Afghanistan.

“UN #SecurityCouncil will meet on Friday, August 6, under Indian Presidency to discuss and take stock of the situation in #Afghanistan," India’s Permanent Representative to UN and Security Council President for the month of August Ambassador T S Tirumurti tweeted late on August 4.

Mr Atmar said the UN and the international community must play a greater role in stopping the unfolding tragedy in Afghanistan due to Taliban violence and atrocities. “Appreciate the lead role of as current UNSC President,” Mr Atmar had tweeted.

The fighting between the Taliban and Afghanistan's government forces has intensified over the past few months as US and Nato troops completed their pullout from the war-torn country. A meeting on Afghanistan had not been scheduled during the month as per the Council’s Programme of Work for the month adopted on August 2.

Briefing reporters at the UN Headquarters, Mr Tirumurti had said he expects that “probably the Security Council will be looking at this aspect sooner rather than later” on Afghanistan in response to a question on the situation in Afghanistan and what the Security Council can do to prevent further escalation in the war-torn country.