MOSCOW, October 13. /TASS/. CIS intelligence agencies are closely monitoring the actions of the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) that seized power in Afghanistan, Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergey Naryshkin told journalists on Wednesday.
"We predicted that the events would unfold according to the scenario, which they followed. As a result, a new government came in - the Taliban movement. We continue to closely keep track of the new government’s actions and exchange information with our CIS colleagues on an ongoing basis," he emphasized.
According to him, the Afghan issue was discussed today at a meeting of the Council of the Heads of Security Agencies and Intelligence Services of CIS Countries. "Over the past several years, every CIS member’s intelligence and special service has kept a close eye on the development of the situation in Afghanistan. On a daily basis, we exchanged intelligence, operative and special information comprehending what sort of threat was emanating from the territory of Afghanistan to each of our countries - both the terrorist threat, migration and drug trafficking [threats]," he said.
The SVR chief pointed out that these dangers haven’t vanished but have become stronger. "In general, the situation is serious, and the terror threat from Afghan territory hasn’t disappeared, on the contrary, it is on the rise. The special services and the military undertake preventive actions to fend off a series of threats," he emphasized.
That said, he noted that there are also positive aspects thanks to the US exodus from Afghanistan. "There is a positive development which involves the fact that the Afghan crisis and the retreat of the US-led coalition from Afghanistan are a definite end to the rather short-lived, by historical standards, unipolar world. And this is good," he stressed.