Taliban delegation arrives in Moscow for talks

A delegation from the political office of the Taliban (a terrorist organization, banned in Russia) arrived in Moscow for negotiations, RIA Novosti reports with reference to the official representative of the movement, Suheil Shahin.

“The delegation has arrived in Moscow this morning. The visit will last two days,” the agency quoted him as saying.

A day earlier, it was reported that negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan authorities started.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the state of affairs in Afghanistan was rapidly deteriorating. The minister linked the crisis with the withdrawal of American troops from the country. One way or another, Moscow will continue to fulfill its obligations under the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and will do everything possible to suppress the aggression, Lavrov said. 

The crisis on the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan has escalated recently after the United States and its allies completed the withdrawal of their troops from Afghanistan, in particular from the main army base in the country - Bagram. The military contingent has been staying in Afghanistan since 2001. A small number of military personnel was left in the country to guard key facilities.

Militants of the radical Taliban movement are moving further and further to the borders of Tajikistan. Militants attacked servicemen near the border and seized three checkpoints, while Afghan soldiers retreated into Tajikistan. In this regard, politicians and experts have concerns that Russia will face an influx of refugees from Central Asia. On July 8, the Taliban hoisted their flag on the bridge between Afghanistan and Tajikistan.