A/RES/61/18 provincial reconstruction teams in close coordination with the Government of Afghanistan and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan; 4. Expresses its appreciation for the work of the Assistance Mission, and welcomes the extension of its presence in additional provinces, which thus ensures that the United Nations fulfils its essential coordinating role, and encourages the Assistance Mission to continue expansion of its presence throughout the country; Calls upon the Government of Afghanistan, with the assistance of the 5. international community, including through the Operation Enduring Freedom coalition and the Assistance Force, in accordance with their respective designated responsibilities, to continue to address the threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaida and other extremist groups as well as by criminal violence, in particular violence involving the drug trade; Urges the Government of Afghanistan and local authorities to take all 6. possible steps to ensure the safe and unhindered access of United Nations, development and humanitarian personnel to all affected populations; Strongly condemns all acts of violence and intimidation, in particular that 7. directed against development and humanitarian personnel and United Nations and associated personnel as well as against Afghan civilians, including women activists, regrets the loss of life and physical harm, and urges the Government of Afghanistan and local authorities to make every effort, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 60/123 of 15 December 2005, to bring to justice the perpetrators of attacks, to ensure the safety, security and free movement of all United Nations, development and humanitarian personnel and to protect the property of the United Nations and of development or humanitarian organizations; Welcomes the successful completion of the disarmament, demobilization 8. and reintegration of former Afghan combatants, which started in October 2003; 9. Also welcomes the launching of the programme of disbandment of illegal armed groups, and stresses the importance of advancing its full implementation throughout the country under Afghan ownership, while ensuring further coordination and coherence with other relevant efforts regarding security sector reform and community development; 10. Further welcomes, in this context, the commitment of the President of Afghanistan to stand firm on the disbandment of illegal armed groups, at the Second Tokyo Conference on Consolidation of Peace in Afghanistan on 5 July 2006, and encourages the Government of Afghanistan to work actively at national, provincial and local levels to advance this commitment; 11. Welcomes the development of the new professional Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police, calls for accelerated efforts to modernize and strengthen both institutions, welcomes the progress made in the creation of a fair and effective justice system as important steps towards the goal of strengthening the Government of Afghanistan, providing security and ensuring the rule of law throughout the country, and urges the international community to continue to support the efforts of the Government of Afghanistan in these areas in a coordinated manner; 12. Also welcomes the completion of the disarmament and demobilization of child soldiers in the Afghan Military Forces, stresses the importance of the reintegration of child soldiers and of care for other children affected by war, 5