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Written question asked by Emily Thornberry (Labour) on Tuesday, 11 December 2018, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 13 December 2018. It was answered by Mark Field (Conservative) on Wednesday, 19 December 2018 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Afghanistan: Hazara

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help the Afghan authorities respond effectively to attacks on the Hazara community in Afghanistan and to prevent the occurrence of future attacks.

Answer

We have raised concerns following reports of civilian casualties and displacement resulting from recent Taliban attacks in districts predominantly populated by Hazaras. We continue to monitor the situation closely, especially in Ghazni and Uruzgan districts. We understand that the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) are working to stabilise the security situation in both provinces.

We urge the Government of Afghanistan to protect the rights of all ethnic and religious groups, including the Hazaras, in line with the Afghan constitution. The UK provides a range of support which aims to enhance the Afghan Government’s ability to protect all Afghan citizens. Through DFID, we have contributed £42 million towards lifesaving humanitarian aid in Afghanistan this year. The UK is also committed to supporting the Afghan Security Forces to ensure their capability continues to improve in order to protect all ethnic and religious groups in Afghanistan. We contribute to this through the UK’s contribution to NATO’s Resolute Support Mission.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
201175
Session
2017-19
Subjects
Protection Afghanistan Hazara
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk