Risks of terrorist spillover out of Afghanistan show how adept they are at exploiting 'power vacuums': UN chief

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, in his remarks to the Munich Security Conference, said the world has unfortunately grown even more complex and dangerous due to geopolitical divides that have continued to grow and deepen, proliferating crises and looming threat of global terror over the world.

United Nations: The risks of terrorist spillover out of Afghanistan show how adept they are at exploiting "power vacuums" and subverting "fragile" states, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Friday, voicing concern over the threat of global terror looming over the world. Guterres, in his remarks to the Munich Security Conference, said the world has unfortunately grown even more complex and dangerous due to geopolitical divides that have continued to grow and deepen, proliferating crises and looming threat of global terror over the world.

In Syria, Da'esh is using children as human shields. Al-Qaida and its affiliates are regaining great power to cause harm. The risks of terrorist spillover out of Afghanistan, as well as the alarming spread of terrorism in some African countries show how adept terrorists are at exploiting power vacuums and subverting fragile states, he said. The UN chief called for robust African peace enforcement and counter-terrorist operations with stable and predictable funding.

Extremism and terrorism flourish where there is poverty, hunger, inequality, and injustice. The Sustainable Development Goals remain our greatest prevention tool, he said. Last week, a report of the UN Secretary General had said that the security landscape in Afghanistan changed dramatically on August 15, following the Taliban military campaign that seized 33 of 34 provincial capitals, including Kabul.

There are no recent signs that the Taliban has taken steps to limit the activities of foreign terrorist fighters in the country. On the contrary, member states are concerned that terrorist groups enjoy greater freedom in Afghanistan than at any time in recent history, the report had said.

PTI