Afghanistan Peace Campaign
The Russian Defense Minister, Andrey Belousov, has stated that the situation in Afghanistan highlights the necessity of strengthening Tajikistan’s borders and taking other measures to ensure regional stability.
According to the TASS news agency, Andrey Belousov said on Friday, May 31, at a meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Almaty, Kazakhstan, that Afghanistan remains the primary source of instability in Central Asia.
He was, recently appointed as the Russian Defense Minister, and stated that numerous “radical” groups had gained a foothold in Afghanistan and were increasingly striving to promote their ideas in neighboring countries.
He added, “The risk of the spread of banditry and terrorism beyond the country, Afghanistan, is increasing.”
According to him, all of this requires “continuous monitoring and swift action to ensure regional stability.”
The Russian Defense Minister pointed out that these actions include efforts to strengthen the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
Russia and its allies in Central Asia consider the activities of quasi-military groups in northern Afghanistan, bordering Tajikistan, as a threat.
These countries have repeatedly expressed concerns about the infiltration of these groups into Central Asia.
Russian officials’ warnings about terrorist activities in Afghanistan continue as Russia seeks to expand relations with the Taliban and considers the option of removing this group from the list of terrorist organizations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently stated that the Taliban are the current authorities in Afghanistan and establishing relations with this group is essential.