Situation On Border Between Afghanistan & Tajikistan Remains Tense, Says Russian Diplomat

Viktor Vasilyev, Russia’s Plenipotentiary Representative to the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), accused the western countries of using extremist groups to destabilise the CSTO state members.

According to Vasilyev, as quoted by Ria Novosti news agency, the situation along the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan remains tense.

He stated that "terrorist and extremist groups" intend to destabilise the borders of CSTO member countries.

Nevertheless, he alleges that Western countries are actively employing methods using armed groups in Central Asia. The Russian official did not explicitly specify any country.

He added that in recent years, addressing terrorism and extremism has become crucial in the operations of the CSTO.

These statements were made at the same time as the UN Security Council reported that al-Qaeda has established eight new training bases and several madrassas in Afghanistan.

Also, the Security Council's report highlights that the Khorasan branch of ISIS remains a significant threat to Afghanistan and the region.