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IEA rejects Russia’s claims of armed groups in Afghanistan posing regional threat
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Sunday rejected claims made Friday by the Russian defense minister that armed groups from Afghanistan pose a threat to the security of Central Asia.
According to a statement, the IEA said there was no truth in Sergei Shoigu’s comments made during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) meeting of defense ministers on Friday.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan not only maintains security and stability in Afghanistan after years of war, but also considers security and stability in the region as a helper with its economy-oriented foreign policy and does not want security threats to exist in any way,” the IEA’s statement read.
The statement added that Russia’s authorities should be aware that, in the last two years, not only has Afghanistan not threatened the security of any country in the region or the world, but “the security forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have been able to fully and resolutely dispose of the remnants of the terrorist group of Daesh in Afghanistan.”
“The Islamic Emirate, as a responsible government, does not allow anyone to use the territory of Afghanistan against other countries and expects other countries, especially regional countries to stop their citizens who try to go to Afghanistan for destructive events,” the statement read.
The IEA claimed that some recent attacks were in fact carried out by foreign nationals from regional countries.
“Unfortunately, we have to say that some of the recent incidents of insecurity in Afghanistan have been committed by the citizens of some countries in the region,” the statement said.
The statement comes after Shoigu said at the meeting in New Delhi that the existence of some terrorist groups in Afghanistan are the main threat to neighboring countries, especially Central Asia.
Speaking at the meeting, Shoigu noted that the topic of Afghanistan must be kept on the SCO’s agenda.
“At the same time, numerous radical extremist groups entrenched in the territory of Afghanistan pose the main threat, promoting their ideas and efforts in neighboring republics. To our mind, the topic of Afghanistan must be kept on the agenda of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Only comprehensive international and regional assistance can facilitate measures to overcome challenges Afghanistan faces alone,” Shoigu said.
India, which hosted the meeting, asked the members of the SCO to jointly fight against terrorism in the region.
At the end of the meeting, the SCO’s member nations signed a resolution reaffirming their common commitment to promoting regional security, peace, and prosperity.
The SCO Defense Ministers’ Meeting was held in New Delhi and was attended by defense ministers of China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and a number of observer members.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Tuesday the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle from prison.
According to the ministry, Coyle’s mother had written to the leader of the Islamic Emirate demanding amnesty and the release of her son on the occasion of Eid. The Supreme Court considered time served sufficient and decided to release him.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this action was carried out on the basis of humanitarianism and good faith, and it believes that such measures can strengthen trust between countries. The ministry also expressed hope that both countries, in the future, can find solutions to remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in this matter.
Separately, for Coyle’s release, an American delegation, including Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate.
The meeting was also attended by Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi, Ambassador of the UAE in Kabul, and a member of the prisoner’s family.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi stated that the Islamic Emirate has not detained any citizen of any country to achieve political objectives; rather, detentions were the result of legal violations, and individuals were released after completing judicial procedures.
At the meeting, Khalilzad praised the action of the Islamic Emirate and emphasized the importance of continuing discussions on all issues between the two countries, expressing hope for further progress in the future.
Muttaqi also stressed that Kabul and the UAE should provide standard consular services to their citizens, and that the Afghan government is fully prepared in this regard.
He thanked Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for their constructive role in facilitating the release of the prisoner and referred to the UAE as a close friend of Afghanistan.
Earlier, Muttaqi had also praised the role of the State of Qatar in facilitating information exchange between the Islamic Emirate and the prisoner’s family.
Additionally, the UAE ambassador expressed his country’s readiness to play a role in humanitarian institutions and called such developments beneficial for everyone.
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £3 million (AFN 257 million) in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, aimed at supporting people affected by natural disasters and other shocks.
Richard Lindsay, in a post on X, said the funding will be used to provide essential nutrition supplies and related support to vulnerable populations.
The new allocation brings the UK’s total bilateral assistance to Afghanistan for the current financial year to £154 million (AFN 13.18 billion).
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