Islamic Emirate Rejects CSTO Claims of Security and Drug Threats

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, emphasized that serious steps have been taken to secure borders and prevent drug smuggling.

“Afghanistan assures all countries, including CSTO member states, that no security threat originates from Afghanistan. Furthermore, the Islamic Emirate has made significant efforts in countering drug trafficking and strengthening border security. All countries must fulfill their responsibilities in ensuring regional security,” he said.

This comes after the CSTO’s spokesperson claimed that Afghanistan remains a major source of security challenges and drug-related crimes. She stated that member states have called for strengthening the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border and enhancing regional coordination to address these threats.

Natalia Khritonova, the CSTO spokesperson, said: “The Allies express concern about the situation in Afghanistan and the growing threats in the provinces adjacent to the Central Asian region of collective Security of the CSTO. In this regard, the policy of expanding regional coordination in the counterterrorism and anti-drug spheres remains in demand. In this context, the implementation of the CSTO’s Targeted Interstate Program to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan border is of particular importance and relevance,” Natalia Kharitonova, press secretary of the CSTO secretariat said.

Kamran Aman, a military analyst, told TOLOnews: “The concerns raised by biased countries—whether from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, CSTO, or neighboring countries like Pakistan and Tajikistan—are part of propaganda campaigns driven by their own interests.”

These concerns about drug-related crimes in Afghanistan come despite the decree issued by the leader of the Islamic Emirate on April 3, 2022, banning the cultivation of poppy and the trafficking of narcotics.