Putin warns of a buildup of ISIS fighters in Afghanistan
Vladimir Putin.
(archive photo)
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed Friday that hundreds of fighters loyal to the Islamic State group are massing in northern Afghanistan, as Moscow prepares to host international talks on the restive country next week.
The United States, China and Pakistan will join Tuesday's talks that will discuss the Taliban's seizure of power in Afghanistan, according to the Kremlin's special envoy on the Afghan file, Zamir Kabulov.
The next day, the Taliban and influential regional players will discuss with Russian officials how to collect international aid to avert a humanitarian crisis.
"According to our intelligence, the number of ISIS operatives alone in northern Afghanistan is about two thousand," Putin said in a video conference with leaders of other countries that were part of the Soviet Union.
He pointed out that they were planning to move between the former Soviet Central Asian countries, claiming to be refugees.
Earlier this week, Putin warned of the threat of veteran fighters from Syria and Iraq linked to the organization crossing into Afghanistan, while the Russian Foreign Ministry indicated that it expects the Taliban, which recently took control of the country, to deal with the threat.
Putin noted Friday that ISIS leaders in Afghanistan are seeking to expand the extremist group's influence across the former Soviet states in Central Asia, a region Moscow considers its backyard, to stir up religious and ethnic strife.
"The terrorists seek to penetrate into the territory of the Commonwealth, including under the status of refugees," Putin said, referring to a group of countries that were affiliated with the Soviet Union and some of them share a border with Afghanistan.
On Friday, Putin stressed that there was no need to rush to officially recognize the Taliban, but made clear, "We understand that we have to communicate with them."
Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news