United Nations: Expressing concern over the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, India on Friday warned against any "hurry" in withdrawing troops from the country.
India said that such a move should be done keeping in mind the ground realities and not just to meet any deadline.
"For peace, stability and security in Afghanistan, it is imperative that the ongoing transition must be linked to the ground realities rather than rigid timetables. This, the international community in its hurry to withdraw from a combat role in Afghanistan, will ignore at its own peril," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Hardeep Singh Puri said.
Pointing out that extremist groups continue to attack high-security targets and assassinate important political figures such as former president Burhanudin Rabbani, Puri said gains on the security front could not be consolidated unless the international community was able to firmly deal with safe havens for terrorist groups outside Afghanistan's borders.
He said the "syndicate of terrorism" including al Qaeda, LeT and other extremist groups operating from within and outside Afghan borders must be rooted out for stability in the country.
"For security and stabilisation of Afghanistan, it is important to isolate and root out the syndicate of terrorism which includes elements of the al Qaeda, Taliban, Laskar-e-Taiba and other terrorist and extremist groups operating from within and outside Afghanistan's borders.
"These groups are ideologically and operationally fused and their bonds have strengthened over the years," he said.
Citing the UN Secretary General's report on Afghanistan, Puri said the average monthly number of security incidents in 2011 was up 39 per cent as compared to the same period in 2010.
While the process of transition of security responsibilities to Afghan National Security Forces has commenced since July 2011, it is "indeed worrisome that there has been no let up in terrorist violence."
"These attacks point to a dangerous osmosis of ideologies, ambitions, training and operations" among the syndicate of terrorism in the region with suicide terrorism as its main technique and targets not limited to Afghanistan," Puri added.
He reiterated India's commitment to partnering with the government and people of Afghanistan in building a peaceful, stable, democratic and pluralistic nation.
"We support further strengthening of the Afghan National Security Forces. We fully support an Afghan-led inclusive and transparent process of reconciliation."
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