UNSC diplomacy: A terror-free Taliban?

Kabul: Nearly two weeks after the Taliban took over Afghanistan, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has dropped the reference to the militant group in a recurring paragraph in its statements calling upon Afghan groups not to support terrorists operating on their territory.

The latest statement issued by the UNSC, which is being chaired by India for the month of August, condemned the "deplorable attacks" near the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on August 26. The attacks, which were claimed by Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), an entity affiliated with Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh), resulted in the death of over 170 people, including 13 US servicemen.

The statement, issued by India's Permanent Representative at the UN TS Tirumurti on behalf of the UNSC on August 27, reproduced a paragraph from its earlier statements on Afghanistan. "The members of the Security Council reiterated the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan to ensure the territory of Afghanistan should not be used to threaten or attack any country, and that no Afghan group or individual should support terrorists operating on the territory of any country," the paragraph read. However, the paragraph dropped the reference to the Taliban, which was there in the first statement issued by the UNSC on August 16 after the fall of Kabul to the militant group.

The Taliban have banned music and female voices on television and radio channels in Afghanistan's Kandahar.

This comes after some media outlets removed their female anchors after the Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 15. Local media in Kabul also reported that several women staff members were asked to return from their workplaces since the takeover.

According to an Afghan journalist, the acting Taliban Minister of Higher Education said that girls and boys will no longer be able to study together at universities. The Taliban has killed a singer in the country's Andarab region.

Afghanistan's Asvaka News quoted former interior minister Massoud Andarabi who confirmed that the Taliban had killed Fawad Andarabi, a local Andarb singer.

Taliban leader Sher Mohammed Abbas Stanekzai has said the group wants to continue Afghanistan's political, economic and cultural ties with India, the first time a member of the Taliban's top hierarchy has spoken on the issue since the takeover of Kabul.

Challenge for us: Rajnath

Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said that the situation in Afghanistan has emerged as a challenge for India, with the Taliban set to take charge after the complete drawdown of the US troops. Singh also said that the changes have led to the rethinking of strategy.

Without naming Pakistan, Singh said "After losing two wars, one of our neighbouring countries has started resorting to proxy war, and terrorism has become an integral part of its state policy."

"If the ceasefire (between India and Pakistan) succeeds today, it is because of our strength. The cross-border attacks in 2016 changed our reactionary mindset to a proactive mindset, which was declared in 2019. It was further strengthened by the Balakot air strike," he added.

On the India-China border standoff, the Defence Minister lauded the Army for behaving intelligently and the security forces once again proved that the nation is committed to face any enemy at any time and in any situation, to ensure national security regardless of the cost. An unilateral attempt was made last year to change the status quo on the border.