The Taliban May Return to Power in Afghanistan

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov considers the terrorist movement Taliban may possibly return to power in Afghanistan. “There are no conditions for prevention of the Taliban new coming to power,” – he said Saturday in his speech at the international conference on terrorism in Munich.

“So far the Khamid Karzai administration does not possess necessary influence in provinces. New terrorist attempts at the Afghan leadership are being committed, while the terrorists are being trained abroad,” – Ivanov said. He considers to be necessary to make “coordinated efforts, including at the international level, to oppose Islamic extremism of any shape.”

Sergei Ivanov is especially concerned “with the situation in the neighbouring north-west province of Pakistan, where the Taliban positions are very strong.” After Americans practically leave Afghanistan to the mercy of fate and focused on Iraq, the Taliban became more active. Within recent two weeks, 17 attacks against UN missions and international charity organizations were registered. For example, January 26, some unknown persons attacked a column of food cars in the province of Nangarkhar: two people were killed and four injured. The same day, bomb exploded in UN mission in Mazar-i-Sharif. January 27, in the province of Farah, 6 Afghan specialists from UN Agency of Mine Clearing were beaten unmercifully. January 29, a hand-made explosive device was thrown to the mission of the non-governmental organization Action against Hunger in Kandaghar. January 30, some armed persons captured two World Food Programme workers in Kabul outskirts, who happily were later released.

All the incidents show worsening of the security situation in the country and stirring up of the Mojahedeen, the Taliban supporters, and Al-Qaida militants.

Dmitry Chirkin
PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva