Russia and Kazakhstan have raised serious concerns over the growing threat of terrorism and extremism stemming from Afghanistan, as senior diplomats from both countries held talks aimed at bolstering regional security.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin and Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Akhan Rahmetullin recently met to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and its implications for Central Asia. The two sides exchanged in-depth assessments of rising international terrorism, radical extremism, and illicit drug trafficking originating from Afghan territory and spreading into the wider region, including the Middle East.
The diplomats expressed alarm over the rapid expansion of terrorist groups such as ISIS within Afghanistan, warning that the shifting political landscape has emboldened extremist elements. Despite ongoing diplomatic and economic contacts with the Taliban, both Moscow and Astana underscored that the escalating security threats must be addressed through urgent, coordinated measures.
Russian and Kazakh officials stressed the critical need for enhanced regional cooperation to confront the destabilizing forces taking root in Afghanistan. In particular, they emphasized joint action through multilateral platforms such as the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), with a focus on fortifying the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan to stem the cross-border movement of militants.
Concerns about terrorist spillover have intensified in recent months, following arrests by Russian security services of several ISIS operatives, some of whom had reportedly planned to escape to Afghanistan after carrying out attacks in Moscow.
The latest diplomatic engagement between Russia and Kazakhstan reflects a growing consensus among Central Asian states that the unchecked rise of terrorism in Afghanistan poses a direct threat to regional peace and stability.
