UNSC team in Kabul to assess situation in Afghanistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): A high-level delegation of the United Nations Security Council has arrived in Kabul on a formal visit, a government official said on Sunday.

A well-placed source in the national unity government (NUG) told Pajhwok Afghan News that the delegation reached the capital on Saturday afternoon.

He said the team members were scheduled to meet President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Abdullah, National Security Council members, politicians and women’s representatives.

The source informed the UN delegation wanted to get a better understanding of the situation in the war-torn country and get an update on the current ground conditions.

Earlier in the week, US National Security Advisor HR McMaster briefed the UN Security Council in New York on a series of visits to Afghanistan by high-ranking American officials.

"We think it's important for Security Council members to get an update of the ground situation (in Afghanistan)," Kazakh Ambassador Kairat Umarov said on January 11.

"We would like them to feel the situation there and work with the Afghan government on what the needs are," said Umarov, president of the 15-member Security Council for this month.

A political expert, Javed Ghafoori, hailed the UNSC team’s visit to Afghanistan as important, hoping the visitors would focus serious issues of the country. The visit shows the UNSC support for the war-hit country.

sa/mud