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Developments in Afghanistan

Moscow grateful to Afghan authorities for assistance in return of Russians — Lavrov

The diplomat also expressed gratitude to the Afghan side for aiding the efforts of Russian journalists, allowing them to objectively report on the domestic political events

MOSCOW, October 20. /TASS/. Moscow has expressed its gratitude to the authorities in Kabul for facilitating the return of Russian citizens to their homeland from Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday, opening the Moscow talks on Afghanistan.

"We are grateful to the Afghan side for aiding the efforts of our Russian journalists, allowing them to objectively report on the domestic political events. We are also grateful for the assistance in returning those Russians who found themselves in Afghanistan during the shift of power, to their homeland," the minister said.

After the United States announced the pullout of its troops from Afghanistan this past spring, the Taliban radical militant group (outlawed in Russia - TASS) launched a large-scale operation to establish control over that country. On August 15, President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, fled the country, and the radicals swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance. On September 6, the Taliban declared its establishment of control over all of Afghanistan, and on September 7 announced the line-up of the interim cabinet, whose legitimacy has not yet been recognized by any country.

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Foreign policy Power transfer in Afghanistan

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