MOSCOW, August 30. /TASS/. The current difficult situation in Afghanistan is this century’s biggest humanitarian catastrophe, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Monday.

"I think the situation [in Afghanistan] is very difficult. It seems to be the biggest humanitarian catastrophe we have seen in this century," Vladimir Dhzabarov, the first deputy chairman of the international committee of Russia’s Federation Council, or upper parliament house, told journalists.

He recalled that Europe had already faced flows of refugees from Libya, Iraq, and Syria. "We remember how many problems there were. They have still not been completely resolved today. And now we can witness the same thing - the exodus of many Afghans from the country," he said, adding that reports indicate that up to four million Afghans have already fled the country.

"Where will these people go? It is an important question. Europeans know what it is like when migrants arrive in huge numbers. They are trying to avoid it," the senator noted.

According to Dzhabarov, there are risks that Afghans might go northwards, to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. "I don’t think they will be able to accept so many people, accommodate them and offer necessary assistance. These are, to put it mildly, not very rich countries, with lots of their own problems. So, the catastrophe may be very serious," he stressed.

He added that the Americans and their NATO allies have failed to learn the lessons of the past. "They came to establish democracy and what has it ended in? In the flight of these troops. They have even abandoned some of their citizens. The evacuation is not yet over," he said.

Situation in Afghanistan

After the Biden administration announced the end of the 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. Many countries have evacuated their nationals and embassy staff. The Taliban demanded all foreign forces leave the country by August 31 and warned that otherwise their presence would be considered as an occupation.