Kabulov: ISIS Is the most dangerous international terrorist group

KABUL (TOLONews): Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan says that, from Moscow’s viewpoint, the most dangerous international terrorist group is ISIS, specifically its Khorasan branch.

However, other extremist groups are also considered serious threats to the region, such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for Pakistan and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) for China.

In an interview with The Express Tribune, Zamir Kabulov stated that Russia shares the view of Pakistan and China that the threat posed by these groups should not be underestimated and must be eliminated; otherwise, this issue could harm diplomatic relations with Beijing and Islamabad.

He said: “We confronted [Afghanistan] with the information that Islamabad has registered complaints about TTP and ETIM or the jihadist group multiple times. We believe that the Afghan government should be assisted enough to help curb the menace of militancy on Afghan soil.”

The Russian official added that Moscow believes the Afghan government should be sufficiently supported to confront the challenge of extremism within its borders.

Zamir Kabulov emphasized that the Afghan government must resolve tensions with neighboring countries in a friendly manner.

He noted that the decision to recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is not based solely on economic or political considerations, but also on security factors, as Moscow believes that strengthening the Islamic Emirate will contribute to eradicating terrorism from Afghan soil.

He added: “The main reason behind the Emirate-e-Islami Afghanistan’s recognition is Moscow’s desire to establish full-fledged political and economic ties with the new authorities of Afghanistan. It also aimed to ensure the security concerns of the neighbouring countries.”

In response to a question regarding the recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan by other countries, Kabulov said that such a decision will not be easy for the international community.

He said that China hasn’t recognised Afghanistan formally, but received their ambassador and accepted the diplomatic credentials. Pakistan also elevated the status of the Afghan envoy to ambassador, which is a green light towards recognition, he added.

Kabulov also expressed sorrow over the casualties resulting from the earthquake in eastern Afghan provinces and extended condolences to the Afghan government for the lives lost and the human suffering caused by the natural disaster.

Regarding the return of Afghan refugees, he explained that Russia-Afghanistan relations are bilateral, and therefore, Kabul has not raised the issue of refugees with Moscow.