MOSCOW, October 7. /TASS/. Afghanistan's authorities are effectively combating terrorism, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
"We give Kabul credit for being able to effectively counter terrorist groups, namely the Afghan branch of the Islamic State (IS, outlawed in Russia - TASS), amid significant external pressure and a relatively small government budget," the top diplomat stated at the seventh meeting of the Moscow Format of Consultations on Afghanistan.
"Hundreds of militants who spread death and destruction on Afghan soil have been eliminated," the Russian foreign minister noted.
Besides, Lavrov highlighted Kabul’s achievements in the fight against drugs. "Considerable progress has also been made in the anti-drug campaign. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the areas under poppy cultivation and opium poppy production have declined by 90% in Afghanistan since 2022," he specified.
"We have taken note of the fact that in four years in power, the Islamic Emirate’s government has strengthened and now rules the country with confidence," the Russian top diplomat stressed.