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Russian Defense Ministry denies rumors about air strike in Afghanistan

Russian military planes have carried out no combat missions in the area of the state border between the Republic of Tajikistan and Afghanistan, the Defense Ministry said
Russian Defense Ministry Stoyan Vasev/TASS
Russian Defense Ministry
© Stoyan Vasev/TASS

MOSCOW, August 27. /TASS/. Rumors about an air strike allegedly carried out by Russian planes in northern Afghanistan have nothing to do with the reality, the Russian Defense Ministry told the media on Monday.

"Reports by Reuters Russian planes have allegedly attacked militants of the Islamic movement Taliban (outlawed in Russia - TASS) in a northeastern border region of Afghanistan have nothing to do with the reality. Russian military planes have carried out no combat missions in the area of the state border between the Republic of Tajikistan and Afghanistan," the Defense Ministry said.

Reuters quoted two Afghan officials on Monday as saying that Tajik or Russian combat planes had carried out bombing raids in northeastern Afghanistan on the border with Tajikistan after a clash between Tajik border guards and militants on the ground.

An Afghan police spokesman said the planes remained unidentified. Eight Taliban militants were reportedly killed and six others wounded as a result of the air strike.

Tajikistan denies its military’s participation in the incident.