Need to focus our work more in Afghanistan: Saudi Foreign Minister
Blinken was on a visit to Saudi Arabia where he met various Saudi government leaders.
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KABUL: Amid a rise in blasts and terrorism in Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, has said that it is important to focus the work more on Afghanistan so that it does not become a safe haven for terrorist groups, reported TOLOnews.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud reaffirmed at a news conference that "we need to focus our work more in Afghanistan so that Afghanistan cannot be a safe haven for terrorist groups again".
"We need to work together on common challenges and provide the right environment for the - the repatriation of IDPs to Iraq and Syria, and to also recover the citizens or the diaspora in other countries," he said, according to TOLOnews.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement at the same press conference that Washington has shown since ending the nation's longest war that it will remain "focused on our core national security interest in preventing the resurgence of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, and if necessary, taking action to deal with it."
He added that the US is strengthening its ability to combat any terrorism that might be based in or coming from Afghanistan, by collaborating with allies and neighbours.
"At the same time, of course, the Taliban is an implacable enemy of ISIS-Khorasan and is itself taking action against that group. But regardless of that, we've been very clear, and as I said, we've demonstrated our ongoing enduring capacity to take necessary actions to protect our security against any terrorism that may be emanating from Afghanistan," US State Department quoted Blinken as saying.
Blinken was on a visit to Saudi Arabia where he met various Saudi government leaders.
"Looking forward to my visit to Saudi Arabia, where I will meet Saudi government leaders. I will also participate in the U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council Ministerial and co-host the Global @coalition to Defeat ISIS Ministerial with Saudi Foreign Minister @FaisalbinFarhan," the US State Secretary tweeted.
The news conference in Afghanistan came at a time when Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, advised the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh not to exaggerate the threat of Daesh in Afghanistan.