US & India Urge Taliban To Respect Human Rights In Afghanistan

The United States and India urged the Taliban to respect human rights, especially the rights of Afghan minorities and women in Afghanistan.

In a joint statement after the negotiations in New Delhi, the foreign and defence ministers of the United States and India asked the Taliban to adhere to their commitments.

Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin, the US Secretary of State and Defence, met with their Indian counterparts, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh, in the framework of US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi, on Friday.

In the joint statement published by the US State Department after the meeting, it has been stated, “The Ministers called on the Taliban to adhere to their commitment to prevent any group or individual from using the territory of Afghanistan to threaten the security of any country."

It also recalled the UN Security Council Resolution 2593, which states that the territory of Afghanistan should not become a shelter for terrorists and should not be used to threaten other countries.

Despite the Taliban's claims of ensuring security and peace since taking over power in Afghanistan in 2021, reports from international and regional organisations indicate the continued activity of terrorist groups within the country.

The foreign and defence ministers of the United States and India pledged to continue consultations to facilitate a peaceful Afghanistan.