Europe must increase terrorism alert levels, warns EU Home Affairs Commissioner Johansson

Europe should take security threats that might stem from the migration out of the war-ravaged Afghanistan more seriously, warned the European Union (EU) Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson on Friday, October 8. In a press conference following a meeting with her EU counterparts in Luxembourg, she said, “On the terrorist threat from Afghanistan, I must say that my assessment is that the alert level is not high enough. We really need to do (more).” Afghanistan’s takeover by the Taliban in August triggered fears across Europe of a replay of 2015.

As per Aria News report, six years ago nearly one million refugees including mostly Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans reached Europe crossing from Turkey to Greece. The EU Home Affairs Commissioner noted that presently, a massive number of Afghan nationals are moving towards the war-torn country's borders and the world has a moral responsibility to shelter the vulnerable people. However, she called on the 27 EU member nations to perform checks on people arriving from Afghanistan. 

Johansson cited a range of reasons for Afghan citizens to flee their home country amid the Taliban takeover. She said, “The situation in Afghanistan is really dire, there is a huge risk of economic collapse, there is a huge risk of famine and humanitarian catastrophe” while adding that even before the Taliban took over, millions of people from the South Asian country had been living in Pakistan, Iran and Turkey. Within just a few months, as per UN, at least 5,00,000 people have been displaced within Afghanistan.

Families living in Kabul ordered to go home

Meanwhile, hundreds of families who were living in Kabul as the offensive broke out due to the Taliban takeover in August, have been ordered to return to their homes. As per Tolo News, the Taliban-led government’s Deputy Minister of refugees and repatriation Arsalan Kharotai has said, “This process began today and will continue, thus all (displaced) families in Kabul will go back to their provinces.” The Taliban has even said that at least 2,000 families, who were living in Kabul, have been displaced. Reportedly, the evacuation of the displaced families is presently being done in cooperation with donor organisations.

Image: PTI, AP