MOSCOW, February 9. /TASS/. No visible direct threat of military expansion by the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) into neighboring areas has been observed, Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Stanislav Zas said at a conference entitled Collective Security in a New Era: Experience and Prospects of the CSTO at the Valdai Discussion Club on Wednesday.

"Yes, we see that currently such a direct threat of military expansion from the Taliban is not being observed on the territories of adjacent states, including Tajikistan, our CSTO member," he said. "Yet at the same time, the relevance of other threats from these territories, such as the terrorist [threat] and drug trafficking, they remain," the top official added.

The CSTO chief noted that "under the conditions of a socio-economic crisis and a humanitarian catastrophe" unfolding in Afghanistan, the pertinence of these threats is growing "since gang formations are becoming active as well as terrorist organizations and drug trafficking as a source for people’s survival." "Of course, we keep this in mind and intend to pay the utmost attention, as always, to the reinforcement of the Tajik-Afghan border and ensuring the security of our southern borders," he emphasized.

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. On September 6, the Taliban declared a complete victory in Afghanistan and on September 7 formed an interim government. Subsequently, Western nations rushed to evacuate their citizens.