Monitoring Desk: Security chiefs of Central Asian states having borders with Afghanistan have rung the alarm bell stating that they have registered “intensification” of attempts to “smuggle drugs, weapons, ammunition” from Afghanistan into Central Asian states.
Russian President Vladimir Putin who held a video conference with security service chiefs of ex-Soviet states on Wednesday also expressed his concerns claiming “battle-hardened militants” from Iraq and Syria are actively entering Afghanistan.
“The situation in Afghanistan is not easy. Militants from Iraq, Syria with experience in military operations are actively being drawn there. It is possible that terrorists may try to destabilize the situation in neighboring states,” Putin expressed concerns.
It may be mentioned that Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly warned about members of extremist groups exploiting political turmoil in Afghanistan crossing into neighboring ex-Soviet countries as refugees.
“While Moscow has been cautiously optimistic about the new ‘Taliban’ leadership in Kabul, the Kremlin is concerned about instability spilling over into Central Asia where it houses military bases,” report Russian media.
In the wake of the Taliban takeover, Russia held military drills with ex-Soviet Tajikistan — where it operates a military base — and in Uzbekistan. Both countries share a border with Afghanistan.
Tajikistan’s national security chief, Saimumin Yatimov, for his part told the video conference that he had registered an “intensification” of attempts to “smuggle drugs, weapons, ammunition” from Afghanistan into his country.
