AKTAU /Kazakhstan/, September 2. /TASS/. The intelligence agencies of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) believe that new terrorist recruitment technologies will lead to a rise in the number of clandestine cells belonging to the Taliban (outlawed in Russia), Head of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center Andrei Novikov told TASS.
"We pointed out a few years ago that the Taliban’s information machine had changed a lot. In many aspects, it outdid that of ISIL (the former name of the Islamic State international terrorist organization outlawed in Russia — TASS)," he emphasized.
"Activities related to ideology, propaganda, and recruitment have indeed moved to the digital field. There is good reason to believe that updated recruitment technologies will cause a rise in the number of radical sleeper cells that would be ready to act under the identity of the Taliban, as well as under the brand of any other terrorist organization based in Afghanistan," Novikov noted. In this regard, the CIS’ intelligence agencies will have to step up efforts to counter terrorist propaganda among vulnerable population groups, search for more appropriate methods to combat terrorist recruitment, and promptly share their experience.
"The CIS Anti-Terrorism Center has drawn up a package of recommendations on how to combat terrorist propaganda and recruitment and sent it to its partners," the center’s head added. Besides, the center will hold an expanded meeting of its Scientific Advisory Board in Moscow in October with the goal of developing a package of models that could be immediately put to practical use. "All the tools need to be fully employed," the center’s chief concluded.
Taliban (outlawed in Russia) militants swept into Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul on August 15 without encountering any resistance and seized control of the entire city within a few hours. Later, then Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stepped down and fled the country. Subsequently, Vice President Amrullah Saleh declared himself caretaker president, calling for armed resistance against the Taliban.