Joseph Dunford meets Pak counterpart, discusses South Asia's security environment

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford has met his Pakistani counterpart General Zubair Mahmood Hayat and discussed the current security environment in South Asia, the Pentagon has said.

Dunford this week hosted the Counter Violent Extremist Chiefs of Defence Conference in which over 80 international chiefs of defence participated at Joint Base Andrews to discuss countering violent extremist organisations.

Gen Hayat also attended the conference.

"The senior leaders (Dunford and Hayat) discussed the current security environment in South Asia," Joint Staff Spokesperson Colonel Patrick S Ryder.

"The senior military leaders participated in discussions that reinforced the main themes of the conference, to include security cooperation and capacity building, applying military pressure and countering violent extremists," the Pentagon said in a statement.

Throughout the conference, Dunford highlighted the need to expand the military network and build upon past successes through unity of effort, cooperation and collaboration to counter violent extremism.

"We recognise that violent extremism is a trans-regional threat that affects the security of all of our countries.

"Defeating trans-regional violent extremist organisations requires a broad network of like-minded nations to share intelligence, information and best practices," said Dunford.

Participants also discussed the current threats generated by violent extremist organisations worldwide as well as the importance of partnerships, alliances and increased military-to-military communication in identifying, countering and defeating those threats, the Pentagon added.