Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Sirmolotov asked the authorities of Taliban interim government to increase efforts to eradicate terrorism, adding that this issue was particularly discussed during the recent Kabul visit of Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov.
This senior Russian diplomat told Tass news agency that the lack of financing caused by Western sanctions limits the Afghan authorities’ ability to fight against the terrorist groups.
According to Sirmolotov, although the ISIS activities “dramatically declined” since August 2021, but the organization stepped up its activities in Afghanistan in early 2022.
“ISIS members claimed responsibility for the most high-profile attacks, including a terrorist attack near Russia’s embassy, which killed two of our colleagues, attacks on an education center in west of Kabul and a hotel where mostly Chinese nationals were staying, as well as an explosion near the Afghan Foreign Ministry building and as attempt on the life of the Pakistani diplomatic mission’s chief,” the Russian deputy foreign minister noted.
He emphasized that the ISIS posed “a serious threat to Afghanistan and the countries of the region,” namely Central Asian nations. “The group seeks to gain a foothold on Afghan soil and discredit the country’s current authoriites, highlighting their inability to ensure complete security,” Syromolotov said.
“We believe that Kabul has enough will to fulfill its obligations to prevent the threat of terrorism from spilling over from Afghanistan,” he added.—Afghanistan Times
