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BRUSSELS (SW) – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said Afghanistan remains a frontline state in the fight against the so-called ISIS (Daesh).
He said this addressing a presser ahead of the meetings of NATO Defense Ministers. Stoltenberg said it is also important that NATO safeguards the gains made against ISIS in Afghanistan.
“NATO plays an important role in the fight against terrorism. We will discuss our training mission in Iraq, which helps security forces there make sure that ISIS does not return. And we will restate our commitment to our mission in Afghanistan, which ensures that this country does not become a safe haven for international terrorists once again”, he said.
Referring to the suicide attack on a mosque in Nangarhar, Stoltenberg said Afghanistan is at the forefront of the fight against Daesh, and its defeat in Afghanistan is part of the NATO mission. He said NATO is committed to its mission in Afghanistan and wants to ensure that Afghanistan does not become a safe haven for terrorists.
The NATO Secretary General said that six weeks later, in December, a NATO summit will be held in London, where the issue of continued NATO cooperation with Afghanistan by 2024 will be discussed. Stoltenberg urged Allies to support the training missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.
He said NATO is backing the restart of the Afghan peace talks. According to him, the Taliban will not win on the battlefield and must be present at the negotiating table. He also urged the parties involved in the Afghan elections to respect the election results and allow the election commission to carry out its duties properly.
Meanwhile, deputy Defense Ministry spokesman, Fawad Aman, has said the NATO Defense Ministers' meeting will discuss how to continue the NATO mission in Afghanistan. According to him, Defense Minister Assadullah Khaled, who is in Brussels to attend the meeting, will meet with NATO defense ministers on the sidelines. He added minister Khaled will talk about issues of mutual interest, such as the fight against terrorism, the presence of NATO forces in Afghanistan, and how to continue their mission in Afghanistan.
NATO Defence Ministers will meet in Brussels this week (24-25 October 2019) to address key issues for the Alliance.
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