Russia Reinforces Base on Afghan Border After ‘Hasty’ U.S. Exit

(Bloomberg) -- Russia is reinforcing its military base in Tajikistan amid security concerns over the withdrawal of U.S. and other NATO forces from Afghanistan, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

“Today our main task is to counter the terrorist threat from neighboring Afghanistan,” Shoigu said during talks with his Tajik counterpart in Dushanbe on Wednesday, the state news service RIA Novosti reported. “The hasty withdrawal from there of foreign troops has provoked a rapid degradation of the situation.”

Russia is supplying additional military equipment to the central Asian state and stepping up training for the Tajik military, Shoigu said.

Russia Hails Taliban as ‘Reasonable People,’ Blasts Government

Russia said last week that the Taliban control most of the Afghan border with Tajikistan after rapid military advances. The U.S. and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies are due to pull out their troops from Afghanistan entirely by Sept. 11.

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.