CSTO says it takes action to curb terrorist threat from Afghanistan

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is taking measures to curb the terrorist threat coming from Afghanistan, Colonel-General Anatoly Sidorov, chief of the CSTO Joint Staff, said.

“As of today, there is no overarching problem regarding military security or military danger coming from the territory of Afghanistan. However, at the same time we realize that the current leadership of Afghanistan does not yet fully have the situation in the country under control, including in the northern areas that border CSTO member states. Therefore, certain measures are being taken,” Sidorov said in a press conference, TASS news agency reported.

At the same time, the problem of drug trafficking from Afghanistan persists, he noted. “Therefore, of course, problems do exist there. At the same time, there are also ways to solve these problems, and I think the time will come when this topic will be taken off the agenda,” the chief of the CSTO Joint Staff added.

Meanwhile, the 10th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group on Combating International Terrorism and Other Challenges to Security was held in Islamabad on Thursday.

The two sides discussed the global and regional terrorist threats, with a particular focus on the situations in Afghanistan, Central and South Asia, and North Africa. The dialogue underscored the complexity of the terrorism landscape and the need for continued vigilance, according to Pakistan’s foreign ministry.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), however, says it controls all the territories of Afghanistan and borders are now more secure than ever.

IEA reiterates that it will not allow anyone to use Afghanistan’s soil to undermine the security of any other country.