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Developments in Afghanistan

Russia ready to receive delegates of new Afghan authorities and opposition — diplomat

On September 6, the Taliban said they had taken control of the entire country and the war was over

MOSCOW, January 31. /TASS/. Russia confirms its readiness to receive representatives of both Afghanistan's new authorities and opposition forces in Moscow if they are interested in it, Russian presidential envoy for Afghanistan and director of the Russian foreign ministry's second Asia department, Zamir Kabulov, said in an interview with TASS.

"As for visits to Moscow by representatives of both the new Afghan authorities and opposition forces, we have repeatedly confirmed our readiness to demonstrate hospitality if they are interested in that," he said.

After the Biden administration announced the end of its US military operation in Afghanistan and the launch of its troop pullout, the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) embarked on an offensive against Afghan government forces. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance and gained full control over the Afghan capital within a few hours. Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani said he had stepped down to prevent any bloodshed and subsequently fled the country.

Vice President Amrullah Saleh said that under the constitution, he becomes "the caretaker president" in the absence of the president and called for armed resistance against the Taliban. The Taliban opponents organized resistance in the northern province of Panjshir. It is led by Ahmad Massoud, a son of Ahmad Shah Massoud (1953-2001), a once-influential leader of Afghanistan's Tajik community who fought against the Taliban back in the 1990s.

On September 6, the Taliban said they had taken control of the entire country and the war was over. Massoud, however, said that resistance to the Taliban continued and called for a nationwide insurrection. Later, Ali Maysam Nazari, a spokesman for the resistance movement, said that the resistance forces were switching to guerrilla tactics.

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Foreign policy Power transfer in Afghanistan

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