KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed concern about the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, saying that they continue to launch attacks against neighboring countries.
In his opening remarks at the sixth round of Moscow Format talks in Moscow on Friday, October 4, Lavrov said that combating terrorist groups in Afghanistan requires regional cooperation.
“Various terrorist groups are still active in Afghanistan, launching attacks on neighboring states. This is a serious concern. But combating these groups requires regional cooperation,” he said.
Lavrov also said that Russia would not accept “third countries” establishing military bases in Afghanistan or creating new military facilities in neighboring countries “under any pretext.”
The sixth round of the Russia-initiated Moscow Format talks was held today, October 4, with the participation of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and envoys from several regional countries.
Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the meeting would focus on several issues related to Afghanistan, including promoting national reconciliation and enhancing regional cooperation in political, economic, counter-terrorism, and counter-narcotic efforts.
During his speech, the Russian top diplomat acknowledged that Afghanistan still faces numerous problems and that Russia is continuously working to address them. He explained that Russia has developed the Moscow Format and other regional mechanisms to help resolve these challenges.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining a “pragmatic dialogue” with the Taliban, saying that resolving Afghanistan’s issues is not possible without their involvement.
“We are convinced of the need to maintain a pragmatic dialogue with the current government of Afghanistan,” he said. “Constructive interaction with Afghan partners meets the interests of security and economic development of the region, as well as the goals of intra-Afghan national accord,” he added.
Speaking at the meeting, the Taliban foreign minister, however, called concerns about the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan “completely baseless.” He accused other countries in the region of aiding ISIS, saying that the terrorist group has established training camps and recruitment centers outside Afghanistan’s borders.
He claimed that most of the attacks in Afghanistan attributed to ISIS involved foreign nationals, urging countries in the region to prevent their citizens from being recruited by the group.
Muttaqi did not specify the country he accused of aiding ISIS; however, earlier, the Taliban intelligence agency claimed that the terrorist group has transferred its training centers to Pakistan.
The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan has raised security concerns among neighboring countries and the global community due to the resurgence of terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda, ISIS-K, and TTP, which pose significant threats to global stability.
Despite engaging with the Taliban, these countries closely monitor the activities of terrorist groups operating under the regime’s authority and consistently express their concerns about the situation.
