Russia: Daesh fighters from Libya and Syria "actively" entering Afghanistan

Russia said Wednesday that Daesh fighters are "actively" moving into Afghanistan from Libya and Syria, among other countries, following the departure of international troops from the Central Asian country.

"Of course, we are very hopeful that some kind of consensus and inter-ethnic reconciliation will be achieved in Afghanistan. But at the same time we see how actively Daesh units are moving there from different regions, including Syria and Libya," Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu said in Dushanbe, according to the official TASS news agency.

The Russian defence minister is in the Tajik capital to attend a meeting of defence ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which comprises Russia, India, China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The eight SCO members will discuss how to maintain stability in Central Asia, especially after the withdrawal of international troops and the Taliban offensive in Afghanistan, which shares a border with four of the organisation's members.

Afghanistan borders four of the SCO members: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China and Pakistan.
Shoigou stressed that the situation in Afghanistan is "rapidly deteriorating" and "practically out of control of the authorities in the face of the Taliban takeover of most of the territory".

He said there was a "massive exodus" of Afghans to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and that there was "particular concern about the strengthening of the positions of Daesh and other international terrorist organisations, which has led to an increased threat of their penetration into neighbouring countries".

"That is why we have to admit that the US and NATO mission in Afghanistan has failed," he said.
The "hasty withdrawal" of foreign troops caused a sharp increase in military-political tension and hostilities, he said, according to Interfax.

"At the same time, the Americans are more concerned about the possibility of creating new transit routes and logistical structures in the Central Asian states, the deployment of their bases and military facilities," Shoigu said.

"We believe that this will not lead to anything good, but can only lead to the long-term presence of the (Atlantic) Alliance in the region and additional instability," the minister warned.

Shoigu assured that in the event of a threat against its Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) partner, the Russian-led post-Soviet military alliance, Moscow "will react and will do so first from its 201st base on Tajik territory".

He noted that more Russian weapons and equipment have been supplied to the Tajik army and Russia continues to train the Tajik military both at its military academies and at the Russian military base.

In addition, he added, Russia is paying attention to strengthening the combat potential of the military base and to plans to "jointly repel possible penetrations by fighters".

Russia and Tajikistan plan to hold military exercises on the Tajik-Afghan border in August.