Shoigu: The threat of terrorist infiltration from Afghanistan into Central Asia remains

At a recent meeting of the secretaries of the Security Council of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Secretary of the Security Council of Russia, Sergey Shoigu, stated that the threat of terrorist attacks from Afghanistan to neighboring countries still remains.

According to Sergey Shoigu, “the threat of militants from terrorist and extremist groups infiltrating CIS countries through Afghanistan persists.”

He noted that strengthening security on the Tajik-Afghan border is one of the key factors in ensuring stability throughout the region.

“Joint efforts are needed in the fight against drug trafficking. An important step in this direction has been the start of the implementation this year of the Targeted Intergovernmental Program of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) to strengthen the Tajik-Afghan border,” he emphasized.

These statements by Shoigu were made on Wednesday, November 5, at the meeting of the secretaries of the Security Council of CIS countries in Moscow. He pointed out that the danger of expanding the activities of armed terrorist and extremist groups from Afghanistan threatens not only the Central Asian countries but also all member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

CSTO member countries are committed to allocating the necessary resources to strengthen the protection of the Tajik-Afghan border.

In recent years, CSTO countries have repeatedly expressed concern over the growing threat of extremism and the infiltration of radical groups from Afghanistan into Central Asia. At the same time, these countries are trying to establish diplomatic relations with the Taliban movement.

It should be noted that in September of this year, Shoigu stated that there were more than 23,000 militants from international terrorist groups present in areas controlled by the Taliban, which poses a serious threat to the security of the region and peace.