Lavrov: Daesh and al-Qaeda are Trying to Take Advantage of Instability in Afghanistan

The situation in Afghanistan following the change of power in Kabul on 15 August remains unstable and terrorist groups, namely Daesh* and al-Qaeda*, are trying to use that to their advantage, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated during a "Moscow format" meeting.

The foreign minister suggested that among the main causes of the existing instability are humanitarian problems, socio-economic and financial issues, as well as the lack of international recognition of the new authorities in Kabul. Lavrov noted that at the moment, there is no alternative to the current balance of power in Afghanistan, which was established on 15 August, when the country's president, Ashraf Ghani, fled and the Taliban* seized Kabul.

So far, no foreign nation has officially recognised the new Afghan authorities, including Russia, although many maintain de facto contact with them. The new deputy of the Afghan government, Abdul Salam Hanafi, led the Taliban delegation, which arrived in Russia for a "Moscow format" meeting. The latter was attended by ten other regional powers and was dedicated to nascent regional issues in light of the change of power in Afghanistan.

The parties to the talks also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and the prospects of forming an inclusive government there - right now, the temporary Afghan government is formed exclusively by members of the Taliban.

In September and October, Afghanistan was rocked by a series of bomb attacks, with the biggest taking place at a Shia mosque in Kunduz Province, where a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device. The Kunduz bombing took the lives of over 50 people, with some estimates suggesting that the death toll may have hit 100. Daesh in Khorasan Province (Daesh-K)* has taken responsibility for some of these attacks, including the one in Kunduz Province.