India strongly condemned Friday’s attack in Afghanistan and blamed externally backed terrorists for the incident that killed at least 140 soldiers of the Afghan National Defence Forces.
Indirectly pointing at Pakistan for offering support to the Afghan Taliban that carried out the attack in Mazar-e-Sharif, India called for dismantling of safe havens of terrorism. Following the attack which targeted soldiers praying in a mosque, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences on social media even as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called for justice.
“The terrorist attack is a stark reminder of the need to immediately dismantle the safe havens and sanctuaries that support and sustain terrorism in Afghanistan from outside its borders. India remains steadfast in its support to Afghanistan in fighting all forms of terrorism and bringing perpetrators of terrorist violence to justice, wherever they may be,” an MEA press release said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on a social media platform, “I strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Mazar-e-Sharif. Our prayers and condolences to the families who lost loved ones”.
India’s envoy to Afghanistan, Manpreet Vohra also paid a brief visit to Mazar-e-Sharif soon after the attack.
A source in the Indian consulate in the city said the attack, which targeted 209th Corps of the Afghan army, took place approximately 20 miles from the main diplomatic area. No Indian citizens and diplomats were in the vicinity of the targeted area at the time when suicide attackers drove into the base and shot down dozens of soldiers who were just concluding their Friday prayers, added the source.
Significantly, the attack came on a day when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Mr. Modi discussed the situation in Afghanistan with the High Representative of the European Union Federica Mogherini in Delhi.
