Conflicts & War

Russia warns of worsening Afghan security, Islamic State militants

Moscow, Nov 16 (EFE).- Islamic State militants in northern Afghanistan bordering Central Asia were a source of concern, Russia warned on Wednesday, highlighting the country’s deteriorating security situation.

Addressing a 10-nation meeting of the Moscow Format to discuss Afghanistan, the Russian special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said their particular concern was the continued influence of the Islamic State in the northern Afghan regions.

The diplomat said the deteriorating security had prevented the complete power transition more than a year after the Taliban came to power.

“It would be wrong to say that the crisis of the transition of power has been overcome, that the new regime has been consolidated,” Kabulov said.

“Despite the anti-terrorist measures taken by the Afghan side, there is a deterioration in the security sector in the country.”

Nonetheless, Kabulov said “the government survived” and “did not collapse under the weight of the challenges inherited from president Ashraf Ghani’s previous administration. the political isolation by Westerners and the unparalleled economic hardship in Afghan history.”

He explained he was primarily referring to “the plunder of national financial assets, which appears to be becoming the new standard of the West-promoted rules-based order.”

“We strongly encourage the United States and its partners to unconditionally unlock Afghanistan’s assets and allow the authorities to use their legal right to conduct an independent financial and economic policy.”

Kabulov also warned that Afghans might experience food and essential commodities shortages this winter.

“To avert this,” he stated, “many nations are already taking particular measures to give humanitarian help.”

“However, we are certain that a comprehensive solution to Afghanistan’s economic difficulties is required,” said the Russian diplomat.

He blamed “the nations of the Western collective, those who not only brought Afghanistan to its current dreadful position, but also openly continue to strangle its economy.”

The Taliban is not attending the conference under the Moscow format, but delegates from China, Pakistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are present.

The previous meeting in this format took place in the Russian capital in October 2021 and was attended by a high-level Taliban delegation.

The “Moscow format” held its first meeting in 2017. EFE

mos/ssk

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