Afghan attack: Trump seeks decisive action against Taliban

Washington, Jan 28: US President Donald Trump asked countries to take decisive action against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them, in an indirect but obvious reference to Pakistan.

In one of the biggest blasts to rock the war-torn city in recent years, an explosives-packed ambulance blew up in a crowded area of Kabul yesterday, killing at least 95 people and wounding 158 others. Trump issued a strong statement in the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack claimed by the Taliban, which is second such assault in the Afghan capital in a week.

"Now, all countries should take decisive action against the Taliban and the terrorist infrastructure that supports them," Trump said. Both the US and Afghanistan claim that the Taliban has been successful in carrying out such attacks with impunity because of the continued existence of terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan, a charge repeatedly denied by Islamabad. But the Trump administration early this month suspended nearly USD 2 billion in security assistance to Pakistan alleging that Islamabad is not taking appropriate actions against the Taliban and the Haqqani network.

"I condemn the despicable car bombing attack in Kabul today (Saturday) that has left scores of innocent civilians dead and hundreds injured. This murderous attack renews our resolve and that of our Afghan partners," he said.

"The Taliban's cruelty will not prevail," Trump said as he reiterated his commitment to free Aghanistan from terrorists. "The United States is committed to a secure Afghanistan that is free from terrorists who would target Americans, our allies, and anyone who does not share their wicked ideology," the US President said.

In his address to the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said on Friday that his administration was committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never becomes a safe haven for terrorists. "We are committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who want to commit mass murder to our civilian populations," Trump said.

PTI

CK