Zakharova: Afghan ethnopolitical forces must refrain from steps leading to escalation

03 November 2021


The Russian side calls on the ethnopolitical forces in Afghanistan to refrain from actions that provoke the internal national conflict in the country, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Wednesday.


" We believe that at this stage, the country's various ethnopolitical forces need to refrain from actions that provoke the inter-Afghan conflict," the diplomat said, commenting on information received the day before about the readiness of the National resistance front (NRF), which opposes the radical Taliban movement (banned in Russia) that has taken power in Afghanistan, to renew hostilities with the radical units.


Zakharova said the parties to the conflict "should also seek ways to promote mutual understanding and national reconciliation in order to restore sustainable peace, stability and security in Afghanistan and the surrounding region".


Since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, the terrorist threat and the drug threat have not changed, she said.


The Taliban began a massive operation to take control of Afghanistan after the US announced in the spring of this year the decision to withdraw its military forces from there. On August 15, the radicals entered Kabul without a fight, and president Ashraf Ghani left the republic. On September 6, the Taliban declared control over the whole territory of Afghanistan, and on September 7, they announced the composition of the provisional government, which was not recognized by any country.

 

 

GSV "Russia - Islamic World"

Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry

Based on materials from TASS