CAIRO, November 1. /TASS/. The National Resistance Front as an opposition force to the Taliban radical military group that seized power in Afghanistan hopes for Russia’s support, spokesman for the resistance groups, ex-Deputy Governor of the Northern Afghan Province of Panjshir Kabir Wasiq told TASS on Monday.
"There are no doubts that the Taliban terrorist group poses a threat to all countries, especially for Central Asian states. However, Russia that has serious influence in the region and in the world as a whole can oppose the Taliban and support the Afghan people and the resistance forces in their fight against terrorists," the spokesman said.
Moscow supports the resistance forces already by its non-recognition of the interim Afghan government formed by the radicals, he said.
"Russia can also exert pressure on the Taliban and push it from the Afghan [political] forefront," Wasiq said.
Commenting on the National Resistance Front’s office recently opened in the United States to engage in lobbyism, the former deputy governor of Panjshir noted that this "will help mobilize influential American politicians for the support of the resistance movement in its fight against the Taliban that reject any laws and rules."
Speaking about the Supreme National Resistance Council of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan set up by some leading Afghan politicians and officials from the ousted government, Wasiq stressed that this political body had no specific action plan as compared to the National Resistance Front and its leaders mostly stayed in Turkey.
"The Resistance Front led by Ahmad Massoud has the physical presence of fighters in some Afghan provinces and is working on raising its combat capability and mapping out specific programs of combat operations and guerrilla warfare," the spokesman said.
Situation in Afghanistan
The Taliban radical militant group (outlawed in Russia) launched a large-scale offensive to seize control of Afghanistan after the United States declared its intention in the spring of this year to withdraw its troops from the country.
On August 15, the Taliban swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance while Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stepped down and fled the country. The Afghan forces opposing the radicals’ rise to power in the country put up resistance in Panjshir, which was led by Ahmad Massoud, son of the famed guerilla commander Ahmad Shah Massoud (1953-2001). Former Vice President Amrullah Saleh, who declared himself "caretaker president," urged the country to support it.
Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced on September 6 that the radical group had secured full control over the Panjshir province and the war on Afghan territory was over. The Taliban also appointed a new governor of the mutinous province.
Massoud, in turn, stated that the anti-Taliban resistance continued to fight on. Ali Maysam Nazari, the Front’s spokesman, clarified later that the resistance was switching to guerrilla warfare tactics.
On September 7, the Taliban announced an interim government formed solely of members of the radical group that represented the biggest ethnic group in Afghanistan, Pashtuns. Many countries said that such a government could not be considered as inclusive and called on the Taliban to include delegates from ethnic and religious minorities, as well as women into it.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on October 28 that the issue of Russia’s recognition of the Taliban-formed interim government in Afghanistan was premature for now.