ISIS & Al-Qaeda Pose Threats From Afghanistan, Says Russian FM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that fully prepared militant groups, including ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and their affiliates, remain active in Afghanistan.

Following a meeting with the Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), Lavrov warned that threats continue to emanate from Afghan territory.

According to Lavrov, there needs to be a more substantial dialogue with the Taliban regarding the fight against terrorism.

On Friday, the state news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti reported that Lavrov, after the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Almaty, told reporters, "We consider supporting the fight against terrorism to be crucial."

The CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting was held on Friday in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The Foreign Ministers of Russia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus attended the meeting.

Warning that threats from Afghanistan persist, Lavrov said, "We support the establishment of a more sustainable, permanent, and substantive dialogue aimed at implementing specific projects with the Taliban, who control Afghanistan."

Imangali Tasmagambetov, the Secretary-General of the CSTO, also presented a report at this meeting on the regional security situation and its impact on the security of CSTO member countries.

While the Russian Foreign Minister highlighted the threats posed by ISIS and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, Georgy Grigorievich Machitidze, a researcher at an institute affiliated with the Russian Foreign Ministry, warned about the relations between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in an article.

Georgy Grigorievich stated that alongside ISIS-Khorasan, Al-Qaeda, which operates under the aegis of the Taliban, is gaining increasing attention, providing its members with passports, housing, and, in some cases, employment.