Afghanistan Times
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AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: Russia and Tajikistan is concerned over spread of Daesh or Islamic State terrorist group in Afghanistan. The growing presence of the multinational terrorist organization in Afghanistan is a terror threat to the region, said the Russian Defense Ministry.
The Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday said that the group’s spread to the war-hit country would not only increase insecurity in Afghanistan but would also create threats to the entire region.
“All prerequisites are in place for us to confidently state that Daesh cells have emerged there. In addition to everything that went on before, we now have additional risks. We as Collective Security Treaty Organization allies,” Sputnik quoted Shoigu. He said this at a meeting with Tajikistan’s Defense Minister Sherali Mirzo.
Afghanistan is in a political and social turmoil as the Taliban and other terrorist groups such as IS are taking advantage of instability in the country.
The Taliban has increased its attacks in Afghanistan after NATO brought halt to its military mission in late 2014 and began a non-combat operation in the country called “Resolute Support”.
In October, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the situation was “close to critical” as insurgents’ activities were gaining momentum. In line with his words, Shoigu said that Russia is considered to continue the deployment of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) troops to the Afghan-Tajik border in order to prevent insurgents from entering the neighboring countries. The patrols along the border were fully suspended in 2005.
Following the deteriorating security situation and escalating insurgency in Afghanistan, this year in the middle of October the US President Obama said that he would maintain a force of 9,800 through most of 2016.
