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Lavrov opens Moscow Summit, says Afghan conflict is fueling extremism

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov officially opened Thursday’s landmark peace summit in Moscow which has brought together representatives of the Afghan Republic and the Taliban, along with other key stakeholders, in a concerted push by the foreign community to accelerate the peace process.

Addressing the opening of the meeting Lavrov said insecurity in Afghanistan is fueling the rise of extremist groups, including ISIS.

He said this will threaten the region and increase terrorism and in turn called on the United States and the Taliban to stick to commitments sealed in the Doha Agreement signed in February last year.

Lavrov said the Doha process has not yielded positive results for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan but that Russia expects progress at the Moscow meeting. “At the same time, we are seeing the situation (conflict) get worse,” he said.

Lavrov said Russia is particularly concerned about the fact that conflict traditionally intensifies in spring and summer in Afghanistan. “We see that both sides of the war are endangering the civilian population.”

Also attending the meeting is US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, who said earlier Thursday that the Doha talks have for now been pushed to one side.

Delegates from Pakistan, China, Iran, Turkey and Qatar are also in attendance, while Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan’s chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation is leading the Afghan Republic’s 12-member team.

This team includes only one woman, Habiba Sarabi.

In a tweet Thursday afternoon, one of the Republic’s delegates Nader Nadery stated he hoped an “equal number of women on tables should become the norm.”

While Afghanistan has one woman present, the Taliban was devoid of any female representation.

The Moscow meeting is one of two that have been scheduled over the next few weeks – the other planned for Turkey next month and comes amid a new push by the US to get the two warring sides to find a political solution to the 20-year old war.

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IEA should respond to Pakistan’s security concerns with concrete actions: Andrabi

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Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.

Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.

This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.

The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.

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Malaysia’s PM calls peaceful solution to Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions

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Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has voiced deep concern over escalating tensions between the Afghanistan–Pakistan during a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Anwar said he emphasized Malaysia’s concerns regarding regional stability and urged all parties to pursue a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation.

His remarks follow media reports indicating heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan after a series of attacks in October.

During the call, the two leaders also exchanged views on several aspects of Malaysia–Pakistan bilateral relations.

Anwar also briefed Sharif on the ongoing flood situation in Malaysia and similar challenges facing neighboring countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.

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Afghanistan makes major strides in cutting drug trafficking, says Putin

Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin says Afghanistan has taken “active and effective” steps to curb drug trafficking, noting a significant drop in opium production across the country. He made the remarks during an exclusive interview with India Today during his India trip, highlighting what he described as “visible progress” in Afghanistan’s internal security efforts.

Putin stated that Afghan authorities have “substantially reduced” opium cultivation and are “seriously confronting” drug-related threats from within their borders. He added that Afghanistan has also made important advancements in the fight against terrorism.

Responding to a question about why Russia officially recognized the Islamic Emirate, the Russian president said Afghanistan had been engulfed in civil conflict for many years, but the current authorities now hold control over the country. “This is the reality, and it must be acknowledged,” Putin emphasized.

He further noted that maintaining contact with Afghanistan’s leadership is crucial for shaping events inside the country. “If you want influence, you must engage with the people in charge — and that is exactly what we are doing,” he said.

Putin’s remarks come as several regional powers continue to recalibrate their diplomatic strategies toward Afghanistan, focusing on stability, counterterrorism, and economic cooperation.

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