CSTO meeting held on Afghanistan’s security situation

Kazakh Media Reports CSTO Meeting on Afghanistan’s Security and Political Situation Held in Moscow

Kazakh media outlets recently reported that a meeting on the military-political situation in Afghanistan was held in Moscow by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

According to the reports, the meeting was chaired by Talgat Kaliev, the special representative of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The discussions focused on the continued instability in Afghanistan, especially the rise of extremist groups like ISIS. Delegates emphasized the need for a united response from the CSTO countries to address these security challenges and prevent further destabilization in the region.

Meanwhile, Russian news agency Interfax reported that the Russian Parliament (Duma) recently passed a draft law allowing the government to remove the Taliban from the list of banned organizations.

The bill would give the Russian government the legal authority to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist groups, provided the group meets certain conditions. This change follows the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan and raises questions about Russia’s approach to engaging with the group diplomatically, despite its previous designation as a terrorist organization in 2003.

The move has sparked debate, especially considering the rise of ISIS in Afghanistan and Central Asia’s heightened security concerns.

Central Asian countries, particularly Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan have expressed growing concerns over the spread of ISIS and other terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. The region is on high alert, fearing that the security vacuum left by the Taliban’s takeover could lead to an increase in cross-border militant activities.

The increasing presence of ISIS in Afghanistan poses a significant threat not only to Afghanistan’s stability but also to the broader Central Asian region.

ISIS’s growing influence in Afghanistan is a major concern for Central Asian states, many of which share long borders with Afghanistan. The international community and regional powers are under pressure to address this threat, with cooperation and intelligence-sharing becoming essential to prevent the further spread of terrorism.

Khaama Press