Russia contacts with Taliban in combat against Daesh

Russian special presidential envoy to Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov says that his country contacted Taliban in terms of fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), “Daesh” group.

Kabulov has said that Russia has a joint interest with Taliban in fight against Daesh group.

“The Taliban interests objectively coincide with ours without stimulation (over joint anti-terror fight),” said Kabulov.

But Kabulov declined to say whether Moscow had plans to regard the Taliban as an ally in fighting IS.

Russia has been launching strikes against Islamic State and other terrorist groups in Syria at the request of the war-torn country’s president, Bashar al-Assad, thus providing support to the government troops.

In the meantime, Afghanistan defense ministry says that Russia has only right to help Afghanistan.

“Russia must help with Afghanistan, not with terrorist groups that are in war against our country,” said Dawlat Waziri, spokesman of defense ministry.

Afghan political analysts are also consider Russia’s action escalation of the war; citing Russia is afraid of facing the Daesh group in the Middle East.

“The government should realize that Russia’s action means escalation of the war,” said Ahmad Saeedi, political analyst.

The Russian connection is emerging, ironically, at the same time that Afghanistan’s Uzbek warlord and vice president, Abdul Rashid Dostum, has openly warmed to his onetime allies in Russia and tried to strengthen ties to the former Soviet states on Afghan frontier.

Russia has been launching strikes against Islamic State and other terrorist groups in Syria at the request of the war-torn country’s president, Bashar al-Assad, thus providing support to the government troops.

Reported by Ali Asghari