Russia says situation in Afghanistan could deteriorate quickly

Russia on Wednesday said the situation in Afghanistan could “swiftly deteriorate” amid the withdrawal of U.S. troops, offering assistance to neighboring Tajikistan over the wave of Afghan forces fleeing the Taliban. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon that Moscow would aid the former Soviet territory if needed, according to Reuters. 

“We are closely watching what is happening in Afghanistan where the situation has a tendency to swiftly deteriorate, including against the backdrop of the hasty exit of American and other NATO troops,” Lavrov said. 

He argued that the U.S. and NATO “were unable to achieve visible results when it comes to stabilizing the situation during the decades they spent there.” 

Reuters reported that Lavrov committed Russia to doing “everything we can, including using the capabilities of the Russian military base on Tajikistan’s border with Afghanistan, to prevent any aggressive impulses towards our allies.” 

Rahmon on Monday mobilized 20,000 military personnel to help secure its border with Afghanistan after news broke that more than 1,000 members of the Afghan security forces fled into the country following continued territorial advances by the Taliban. 

The Taliban have taken several districts in the northern province of Badakhshan, which borders Tajikistan and China, as U.S. troops leave the area as part of President Biden’s plan to have all U.S. forces out of the country by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that sparked America’s longest war. 

U.S. Central Command on Tuesday said the withdrawal from Afghanistan was “more than 90 percent” completed, adding that the final withdrawal will likely take place by late August. 

However, the recent territorial gains by the Taliban have continued to fuel fears that the organization could quickly overrun the Afghan government without a U.S. military presence there. 

Sky News reported Tuesday that the Taliban showed off 70 sniper rifles, 900 guns and 65 vehicles seized from Afghan forces, as well as shipping containers containing satellite phones, grenades, mortars, bullets and other ammunition.

Several of the materials were labeled “Property of USA Government,” according to Sky News.