Afghanistan welcomes UN Haqqani sanctions

Afghan President Hamid Karzai`s spokesman has said that the country has welcomed the United Nations` decision to impose sanctions Haqqani network.

Kabul: Afghan President Hamid Karzai`s chief spokesman has said that the country has welcomed the United Nations`` decision to impose sanctions on terror outfit Haqqani network and would not negotiate for peace with the group blamed for several high-profile attacks in the country. Spokesperson Aimal Faizi added that the UN should impose sanctions a long time ago to weaken the Haqqanis, which had carried out most of the terrorist attacks in the nation over the past 10 years, reports the Daily Times.

Although the Afghan government is engaged in reconciliation talks with members of the Taliban, it rules out dialogue with the Haqqani group, believed to be based in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan. "We don`t want any kind of deal with the Haqqanis, who were behind many of the attacks on Afghan security forces and civilians including women and children. We have certain negotiating conditions with armed opposition groups but the Haqqanis do not meet the criteria and they are in the service of a foreign spy agency," Faizi said. Afghan and U.S. officials have accused Pakistan`s intelligence agency of using Haqqani militants as proxies in Afghanistan to counter the influence of rival India. Islamabad, however, denies the allegations. ANI