'Russia doesn't want Afghan militants': President Putin lashes out at Western nations

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Sunday hit out at Western nations for seeking to temporarily relocate Afghan evacuees to neighbouring Central Asian countries until their visas to the United States and Europe get processed. Speaking at a meeting with top officials of the Kremlin’s United Russia party on Sunday, Vladimir Putin said that the ongoing situation in Afghanistan would directly impact the security situation in Russia and he does not want Afghan militants in Russia under cover of refugees. Terming this idea as a humiliating approach towards solving the issue by Western states, Putin also asked how can refugees be sent to Russia's neighbouring countries when they themselves (the West) don't want to take them without visas?

'Taliban leaders have stuck to their promises'

A few days ago, the Russian President had also demanded the countries to stop interfering in Afghanistan. While he also praised the Taliban for "restoring order" following its takeover of the country.  Russia's foreign minister also went on to say that Taliban leaders have stuck to their promises so far. President Putin's special envoy to Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov had also said the Taliban were better to negotiate with than the old "puppet government" led by President Ashraf Ghani. As per reports, the United States held "closed-door" talks with many countries to finalise deals in order to temporarily relocate risk-prone Afghans who worked for the US government.

Thousands of Afghans fled country since Taliban's takeover 

It is pertinent to mention here that thousands of people in Afghanistan have fled the country and many still are looking to leave after the Taliban took control of the country last Sunday, August 15. A large number of people have headed to the Central Asian nations of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, which share a border with Afghanistan, while many took shelter in Germany and the United States of America. Meanwhile, highlighting the recent incidents of targeted murders, assassinations and punishments meted out to women in Afghanistan, Fabien Baussart, the President of Center of Political and Foreign Affairs (CPFA), said that the Taliban's ideology has neither reformed nor changed in any form.

Image credit: AP