Published on: September 1, 2021

UNSC ON AFGHAN ISSUE

UNSC ON AFGHAN ISSUE

What is in news : The United Nations Security Council, under the Presidency of India, adopted a resolution on the situation in Afghanistan

Situation in Afghanistan :

  • The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on August 15, 2021.
  • They captured the country two weeks before the United States was set to complete its troop withdrawal, ending the longest war in US history.
  • This seizing also forced Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to flee to the United Arab Emirates.

Resolution  :

  • Demanded that the war-torn country, Afghanistan, not be used to threaten or attack any nation or shelter terrorists.
  • Put forward by the US, UK and France.
  • Adopted with the votes of 13 Council members in favour.
  • Permanent members Russia and China abstained from the voting.

Who are Taliban :

  • Sunni fundamentalist organisation
  • Also a military group that is involved in an insurgency
  • Controlled almost three-quarters of the country from 1996 to 2001 and was notorious for their strict implementation of the Sharia or Islamic law there.
  • Widespread abuse of human rights, especially targeted against women.
  • The current head of the Taliban is Hibatullah Akhundzada.
  • Mullah Omar is regarded as the founder of the Taliban. He died in 2013.
  • The Taliban officially refers to itself as the ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’.
  • The word ‘Taliban’ in Pashto means ‘students’.

About UNSC

  • One of the organs of the United Nations
  • Charged with the maintenance of international peace and security
  • Powers include :
    • Establishment of peacekeeping operations
    • Establishment of international sanctions
    • Authorization of military action through Security Council resolutions
  • Only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states.
  • Members: The Security Council consists of fifteen members. Russia, the United Kingdom, France, China, and the United States—serve as the body’s five permanent members.
  • These permanent members can veto any substantive Security Council resolution, including those on the admission of new member states or candidates for Secretary-General.
  • The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent members, elected on a regional basis to serve two-year terms. The body’s presidency rotates monthly among its members.