Russian General Staff calls SCO to pool efforts against threats from Afghanistan

The emerging military-political situation in Central Asia [ ...] indicate that the SCO member states’ joint efforts to negate the regional security threats [ ...] are badly needed, official said

MOSCOW, October 8. /TASS-DEFENSE/. The member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) should pool their efforts in order to prevent the use of Afghanistan as a tool for aggravating the situation in Central Asia, Sergei Istrakov, deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, said at an international conference on Afghanistan on Thursday.

"The emerging military-political situation in Central Asia and its estimated future indicate that the SCO member states’ joint efforts to negate the regional security threats emanating from Afghanistan are badly needed. Therefore, the capabilities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization are utterly timely and relevant," Istrakov said.

He added the SCO countries were trying to neutralize the security threats independently "by taking unilateral economic, political and humanitarian measures". "The attempts no not enable them to stand up to new challenges and threats effectively," the General Staff deputy chief stressed.

Istrakov cited as an example the settlement of the Syrian crisis that proved that the efforts taken by the western counterterrorist coalition to fight the Islamic State have been in vain, "because the coalition members have different objectives and take uncoordinated efforts, and their activities boil down to simulating a proactive fight.".

http://tass.ru/en/world/827366

More than 1,000 Taliban fighters concentrated on Tajik-Afghan border — security officer

World

October 08, 17:51 UTC+3

Taliban groups control a sizable part of Afghan settlements on the border with Tajikistan and they keep moving closer to the border, the source said

DUSHANBE, October 8. /TASS/. The buildup of terrorist groups, including Taliban units, in immediate proximity to the Tajik border raised serious concern in the republic, an officer from the Tajik National Security Committee told Tass on Thursday.

“Over the recent time, we have been witnessing movement of armed groups, mostly from Taliban, in the Badakhshan /Pamir/ direction of the Tajik-Afghan border,” the source said, adding that their numbers exceeded 1,000 gunmen.

“According to operational data of our Afghan colleagues, Taliban groups control a sizable part of Afghan settlements on the border with Tajikistan and they keep moving closer to the border, which cannot but alarm Dushanbe,” the source added.

Focusing on the situation in another Afghan province bordering on Tajikistan, Kunduz, he said a trench war and sporadic shootouts between Afghan government troops and Taliban fighters have continued there after Taliban seized the administrative center on September 29.

Saudi defense minister to come to Moscow to compromise on Syria

09.10.2015 | Source: Pravda.Ru

The head of the Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is coming to Moscow for an official visit on Sunday, October 11, the Kommersant newspaper reports citing a source at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia. According to the newspaper, the prince is scheduled to meet Russian President Putin in Sochi, where he will also attend Russia's Formula 1 Grand Prix race. This will be Mohammed Bin Salman's second visit to Russia this year, Pravda.Ru reports.

This is where the Saudis cut their deal with Putin. The Saudis stop supporting Assad’s enemies, the Russians let the Saudis build their gas pipeline, the Saudis give the Russians a piece of the action. The only haggling will be over how much money Russia gets, and Russia’s rights to restrict the flow.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.