“Many think tanks and media representatives expressed fear that militant groups in Afghanistan are becoming a growing threat to India’s security,” said EU Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, in a tweet after concluding his three-day trip to India on Sunday.
“I was pleased to exchange views with Joint Secretary JP Singh and to confirm our shared interests in a secure and stable Afghanistan between the EU and India,” Niklasson said about his meeting with the Joint Secretary of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. Adding “We expressed our concerns about the serious humanitarian situation and agreed that humanitarian aid is critically needed.”
Tomas Niklasson said they agreed that a “minimal presence” in Kabul is beneficial for a better understanding of the situation in Afghanistan and supporting those in need. He added that he also discussed with the Indians the importance of addressing the human rights situation and promoting inclusivity for long-term peace and stability in the country.
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The EU envoy also met the Afghan ambassador to India, Farid Mamundzay.
“Political settlement resulting from intra-Afghan dialogue with sincere regional and international backing is the only way forward to end the ongoing political, security, economic and humanitarian crisis,” Mamundzay said.
In an interview with the Hindustan Times on February 11th, Niklasson stated that Al-Qaeda, Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), Ansarullah, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed were active in Afghanistan, which he referred to as a “ticking time bomb.”
ISKP had built up its “capacity more quickly than what was foreseen,” he said.
In a separate interview with WION News, Niklasson warned that the situation was getting worse.
