Russia hosts Taliban delegation and warns against foreign military presence in Afghanistan
MOSCOW: Russia hosted a delegation of Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban government Tuesday and issued a strong warning against a foreign military presence in the country.
Speaking at the start of an international meeting on Afghanistan in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov praised the Taliban government for efforts to combat the Islamic State and other extremist groups, as well as eradicate illegal drugs.
Lavrov emphasized that “the deployment of military infrastructure of any third countries on the territory of Afghanistan, as well as on the territories of neighboring states, is categorically unacceptable under any pretext.”
Last month, the Afghan government rejected a bid by US President Donald Trump to retake Bagram Air Base, four years after the chaotic US withdrawal from the country left the sprawling military facility in the Taliban’s hands.
