'Afghanistan's Security Obstacles "Interconnected," Ban Says', UN News Centre, 26 June 2009

EXCERPT: "Drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism are among the 'interconnected' security challenges Afghanistan faces, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling on the international community to continue supporting the South Asian nation's efforts to move towards a better future. 'These ills bring violence into the lives of everyday Afghans,' Mr. Ban said at an informal regional meeting on Afghanistan of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations, held in Trieste, Italy. The fighting in Afghanistan is at its most intense since 2001, according to a new report by Mr. Ban that was made public today, as the country gears towards its presidential and provincial council elections slated for August. The first quarter of 2009 has witnessed a 43 per cent surge in security incidents compared to the same period last year due to ever-frequent clashes in the south and the east, while insurgent activities in previously stable areas, especially in the north, are also on the upswing."

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To read the Report of the Secretary General on the Situation in Afghanistan and its Implications for International Peace and Security (2009), click [pdf].

See also:
'', The Associated Press, 26 June 2009

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