Taliban’s Interior Minister & Russian Envoy Explore Security Collaboration

In a significant discussion on security matters, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban's Interior Minister, highlighted the importance of "enhanced security cooperation" during his meeting with Dmitry Zhirnov, the Russian Ambassador to Kabul.

This meeting comes in the wake of concerns voiced by Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Defence Minister, who recently pinpointed Afghanistan as a threat to the stability of Central Asia.

Shoigu elaborated on these concerns in a briefing with Russia's high-ranking military officials, revealing a concerning 15 percent surge in ISIS fighters within Afghanistan.

Details from a statement released on Tuesday by the Taliban's Ministry of Interior revealed that Haqqani and Zhirnov's discussions also touched upon the broader situation in Afghanistan and the surrounding region, although specifics of their dialogue on security cooperation remain undisclosed.

While the Taliban persistently refute claims of terrorist factions and ISIS' presence within the country, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)—where Russia plays a key role—has issued several warnings about the active presence of ISIS fighters near the Afghan-Tajikistan border.

In response to these escalating threats, the CSTO is set to ratify a strategy aimed at bolstering the security framework along the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border within this calendar year.