Russia Calls Ghani’s Paktia Remarks ‘Unacceptable’

Russia calls President Ashraf Ghani’s accusations of Moscow supporting the Taliban insurgents as “unacceptable”.

“We have taken note of reports in some Afghan media of statements regarding Russia’s “support” for the Taliban movement by President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai during his recent trip to Paktia Province,” the Russian embassy in Kabul said in a statement.

According to the reports, President Ghani has accused Russia and Pakistan of supporting the Taliban by providing them weapons, training and money.

“The Taliban are accepting guns from those who have blood on their hand of 1.5 million Afghans,” Ghani said during his travel to southeastern Paktia province.

Moscow further added,” we consider unacceptable such statements by the head of state of friendly Afghanistan. We recall that Afghan officials have confirmed at different levels that such accusations against Moscow are groundless.”

Russia claims that it is rendering multiple forms of assistance to the Afghan government, including help in consolidating the combat capabilities of Afghan national security forces, and is actively facilitating inter-Afghan dialogue with a view to establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan as soon as possible.

The statement also urges Afghan leaders “not to follow along with the anti-Russian hysteria fanned by some Western media”.