KIRZHACH - The Russian Security Council will carry on contacts with Kabul as the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates, and it will react promptly to any arising threats, Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Alexander Venediktov told TASS on Friday.
"As you know, there is a whole range of threats and challenges from Afghanistan to Russia. Of course, we, as the Security Council, must react to this quickly," the deputy security secretary said.
According to him, the Security Council maintains regular contact with the Afghan government. "Moreover, we aim to support them if the situation in the country deteriorates," Venediktov stressed.
He recalled that in early July, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev held talks with National Security Adviser of Afghanistan Hamdullah Mohib. "Among other things, they discussed measures that would facilitate regional stability and avoid further degradation of the situation," the official said.
When asked whether peaceful regulation in Afghanistan is possible, the Russian deputy security chief said: "There is always a chance, if there is goodwill from all sides, first and foremost from [the participants] of domestic Afghan reconciliation."
Clashes between the Afghan government forces and the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) intensified after US President Joe Biden’s decision to end the US operation in Afghanistan. As of July 6, the US has withdrawn over 90% of its forces. Afghan officials have repeatedly said that the Taliban movement is scaling up its offensive operations. (TASS)