KABUL - ‘Combating terrorism needs inter-state cooperation at international, regional and national levels, President Ashraf Ghani said at the 53rd Munich Security Conference (MSC).
On Saturday night, the president told the conference in Munich: “Afghanistan is a country in the frontline of the war on terrorism, fighting against about 20 terrorist groups.”
The terrorist outfits had been identified by the United States and United Nations, he said. More than 30 heads of state and about 80 interior and foreign ministers attended the meeting.
Ghani added the fight against terrorism in his country was aimed not only at stabilising Afghanistan and preserving freedom but also at ensuring global security.
In a statement from the Presidential Palace, Ghani said terrorists used social medial networks and technology for financial crimes and political offences at the international level.
Terrorism did not recognise borders and no area would remain secure from it, the president remarked. “For fighting against terrorism, we need a consensus, a comprehensive approach and the use of legitimate force, taking important segments of society like women and youth on board and isolating the countries that support terrorism.”
The recent attacks in Kabul, Kandahar, Helmand and other parts of the country -- as well as in the Sindh province of Pakistan -- showed there were no good or bad terrorists, he stated.
“Terrorism is a major contemporary challenge and combating it needs a long-term commitment.” Understanding the various emerging manifestations of terrorism might be difficult, he added.
Ghani went on to allege that terror financing weakened states on the one hand and administrative corruption encouraged the phenomenon on the other.
“We can succeed in fighting against terrorism,” he said, adding it was necessary that countries using terrorism as a tool of achieving their political aims be isolated for effectively battling the scourge.
The Munich Security Conference is an annual event on international security policy and has been taking place since 1963. It is the world's largest gathering of its kind. The MSC is known for providing an open and informal platform for allies --and adversaries -- to meet. (Pajhwok)