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A30 world news
Diaranson 14 Juli 2021

Russia against US troops in Central Asia near Afghanistan

(AP) — Russia has strong- things not only in our per- that supported operations
ly warned the United ceptions of what’s going on in Afghanistan, closed it in
States against deploying in that important region, but 2014. Uzbekistan, which also
its troops in the former also in our relations with the hosted a U.S. base, ordered
Soviet Central Asian na- United States.” it shut in 2005 amid ten-
tions following their with- sions with Washington. Uz-
drawal from Afghanistan, He added that Russia has also bekistan’s Defense Ministry
a senior diplomat said issued the warning to Central reaffirmed in May that the
in remarks published on Asian nations. country’s constitution and
Tuesday. its military doctrine rule out
“We cautioned them against the presence of any foreign
Russia’s Deputy Foreign such steps, and we also have troops on its territory.
Minister Sergei Ryabkov said had a frank talk on the sub-
that Moscow conveyed the ject with our Central Asian “I don’t think that the emer-
message to Washington dur- allies, neighbors and friends gence of new American mili-
ing Russian President Vladi- and also other countries in tary facilities in Central Asia
mir Putin’s summit with the region that would be di- would promote security in
U.S. President Joe Biden in rectly affected,” Ryabkov said the region,” Lavrov said.
Geneva last month. in an interview published in would be achieved with a Russian officials have ex-
the Mezhdunarodnaya Zhizn The Biden administration small U.S. presence out- pressed concern that the Tal-
The warning comes as the magazine. has reportedly considered side Afghanistan when a iban surge could destabilize
U.S. military said last week Uzbekistan and Tajikistan 100,000-strong NATO force Central Asia.
that 90% of the withdrawal of On Monday, Russian For- that border Afghanistan, as inside the country “failed to
U.S. troops and equipment eign Minister Sergey Lavrov well as Kazakhstan, as possi- do anything.” Taliban advances already
from Afghanistan is com- emphasized that Kazakhstan, ble staging areas for monitor- have forced hundreds of Af-
plete. Biden said the U.S. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are ing and quickly responding “Most probably, they simply ghan soldiers to flee across
military mission in Afghani- all members of the Collective to possible security problems want to ensure their military the border into Tajikistan
stan will conclude on Aug. Security Treaty Organization, that may follow the U.S. presence in Central Asia and which called up 20,000 mili-
31. and any presence of foreign military’s withdrawal from be able to influence the situa- tary reservists to strengthen
troops on their territories Afghanistan. tion in this region.” its southern border with Af-
“I would emphasize that the must be endorsed by the se- ghanistan.
redeployment of the Ameri- curity pact. He added that “I don’t think that anyone is As the American and NATO
can permanent military pres- none of those countries have interested in becoming a hos- troops were swiftly pulling Last week, a senior Taliban
ence to the countries neigh- raised the issue. tage to such US policy and out, the Taliban have made delegation visited Moscow
boring Afghanistan is unac- intentions, and in inviting re- quick gains across the coun- to offer assurances that the
ceptable,” Ryabkov said. “We Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan taliation,” Lavrov said. try. They claimed on Friday insurgents’ advances in Af-
told the Americans in a di- both host Russian military that they now control 85% of ghanistan do not threaten
rect and straightforward way bases. Kyrgyzstan, which The Russian foreign minis- Afghanistan’s territory. Russia or its allies in Central
that it would change a lot of hosted a U.S. military base ter questioned what results Asia.

Taliban surge in north Afghanistan sends thousands fleeing

country’s ethnic minori- derstand why her school was defending their district.
ties — thousands of families burned.
like Sakina’s are fleeing their In areas they control, the Tal-
homes, fearful of living un- In Camp Istiqlal, there’s not iban have imposed their own
der the insurgents’ rule. a single light, and sometimes fees and taxes. Ashor Ali, a
she hears noises in the pitch truck driver, told The Asso-
In the last 15 days, Taliban blackness of night. “I think ciated Press he pays the Tal-
advances have driven more maybe it’s the Taliban and iban a 12,000 Afghani ($147)
than 5,600 families from they have come here. I am toll for every load of coal he
their homes, most of them afraid,” said the girl, who brings from a Taliban-con-
in the northern reaches of hopes one day to be an engi- trolled part of neighboring
the country, according to the neer. Samangan province to Ma-
government’s Refugee and zar-e-Sharif. That amounts
Repatriations Ministry. Yaqub Maradi fled his village to more than half of what he
of Sang Shanda, not far from makes on each haul.
In Camp Istiqlal, family af- Abdulgan, when the Taliban
ter family, all from the Haz- arrived. He said they tried to The Taliban are attending in-
ara ethnic minority, told of intimidate villagers into stay- ternational conferences, even
Taliban commanders using ing. Maradi’s brother and sending their ex-ministers
heavy-handed tactics as they several members of his fam- on missions to Afghanistan
overran their towns and vil- ily were arrested, “held hos- from Qatar, where they have
(AP) — Sakina, who is 11, tents under scorching heat lages — raising doubts among tage to stop them from leav- a political office, to assure
maybe 12, walked with her that reaches 44 degrees Cel- many over their persistent ing,” he said. Afghans they have nothing
family for 10 days after the sius (110 degrees Fahrenheit) promises amid negotiations to fear from them, especially
Taliban seized her village at midday. There are no trees, that they will not repeat their A howling, brutally hot wind minorities. The group still
in northern Afghanistan and the only bathroom for harsh rule of the past. ripped through the tent as espouses Islamic rule but
and burned down the lo- the entire camp is a tattered Mohammad Rahimi, the says its methods and tenets
cal school. tent pitched over a foul- Sakina said it was the middle self-appointed camp leader, are less severe.
smelling hole. of the night when her par- who also fled from Abdul-
They are now among around ents packed up their belong- gan, recalled how a poorly But if it’s a gentler face they
50 families living in a make- As the Taliban surge through ings and fled their village of equipped militia force in his are seeking to portray, fleeing
shift camp on a rocky patch northern Afghanistan — a Abdulgan in Balkh province, Zari district tried to defend residents say it seems many
of land on the edge of the traditional stronghold of but not before the invading against a larger Taliban force. Taliban commanders in the
northern city of Mazar-e- U.S.-allied warlords and Taliban set fire to her school. Rahimi named a handful of field either haven’t gotten the
Sharif. They roast in plastic an area dominated by the Sakina said she doesn’t un- militia fighters he said died message or aren’t listening.