Afghan forces stretched, but resilient against Taliban push: U.N.
By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Afghan security forces are "undeniably stretched" but resilient amid a push by insurgents for more territory and concerns that Islamic State militants are also seeking a foothold in the country, the United Nations envoy to Afghanistan said on Monday. A Taliban suicide bomber and six gunmen attacked the Afghan parliament on Monday in a brazen assault that ended after a nearly two hour gun battle with NATO-trained Afghan security forces. [ID:nL3N0Z824V] "While the Afghan National Security Forces face operational challenges, their commitment is beyond question and they are demonstrating resilience in the face of insurgent efforts to take and hold ground," U.N. envoy Nicholas Haysom told the U.N. Security Council. Taliban fighters, who ruled Afghanistan with an iron fist from 1996 to 2001, are pushing to take territory more than 13 years after they were ousted in a U.S.-led war. Fighting has spiraled since most foreign forces left the end of last year. "There also remains considerable concern that (Islamic State) ... is seeking to establish a foothold. This demands greater regional involvement and collaboration to address this shared threat," Haysom said. Islamic State has declared a caliphate in the swathes of territory it controls in Syria and Iraq. A U.S.-led alliance has been targeting the radical Islamist group with air strikes in Iraq and Syria. The Taliban wrote to Islamic State's leader urging the rival jihadist group to stop recruiting in Afghanistan, saying there is room for only "one flag, one leadership" in their fight to re-establish strict Islamist rule. [ID:nL3N0Z23BC] Afghanistan's U.N. Ambassador Zahir Tanin praised his country's security forces. "For the first time, Afghan forces have moved from a defensive to an offensive position and have shown more capability, potential and resilience than ever before," he told the Security Council. Haysom said no progress would be made toward peace in Afghanistan unless the government and the Taliban met directly to try and broker an end to the conflict. "While the Government has repeatedly stated its readiness to engage in direct talks with the Taliban, what is still missing is a clear indication from the Taliban that they are ready to engage directly with the Government," he said. "Direct engagement is necessary for a negotiated agreement," Haysom said. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Richard Chang)
