NEW DELHI: Battle-hardened youths returning to their home countries to launch terror attacks after being trained and indoctrinated by IS was a major security concern and central Asian countries must act unitedly to combat the menace, a top External Affairs Ministry said today.
Secretary (West) of Ministry of External Affairs Sujata Mehta said the challenge for Central Asian countries was act to ensure that moderate views of assimilation and accommodation prevail amid an “onslaught of extremism”.
“Reports suggest that those from Central Asia who have gone to fight for Da’esh (IS) are likely to return to their roots to pursue their sinister agenda back home; there are already signs of Da’esh fighters joining, coordinating and launching terrorist attacks having returned battle-hardened and indoctrinated.
“The challenge for our Central Asian partners is to act to ensure that moderate views of assimilation and accommodation prevail amidst an onslaught of extremism,” she said.
She was speaking at the Fourth India-Central Asia Dialogue organised by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Mehta also said the rise of terror outfit IS has added another dimension to militancy in Central Asia, adding India’s vision for the future cooperation with the countries of the region is “ambitious and at the same time realistic”.
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