UNITED NATIONS, December 20. /TASS/. Afghanistan has endured and avoided a new civil war after the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) took charge following the exit of foreign forces from the country, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said.

"In the more than two years the Taliban has been in power, Afghanistan has endured despite Western counterparts’ loud talk about a possible collapse. In the face of unprecedented unilateral sanctions and a humanitarian crisis, the country managed not to plunge into another civil war or turn into a black hole," he said at a meeting of the UN Security Council.

Nebenzya pointed out that more than 1.3 million internally displaced people have returned to their homes in Afghanistan and "those numbers are unprecedented."

The Taliban mounted a massive operation to regain control over Afghanistan after the United States announced the withdrawal of its military personnel from the country in the spring of 2021. On August 15, 2021, Taliban forces took Kabul without encountering any resistance. After claiming full control of Afghanistan’s territory, on September 7 the Taliban declared a new interim government, which has yet to be recognized by any country.