Lavrov: Terrorists Disguised as Afghan Refugees Trying to Get Into Neighbouring Countries

According to the top Russian diplomat, tackling the migration crisis is the priority now, since Afghanistan's neighbours are now being targeted by "destructive forces".

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed situation in Afghanistan on Wednesday, saying that terrorists and criminals, disguised as Afghan refugees are already trying to infiltrate neighbouring countries.

"Obviously, without a decisive fight against drug production and smuggling, and against international terrorist groups hunkering [down] in Afghanistan and being manipulated from the outside, it is hardly possible to shape a normal foreign policy, especially with neighbouring countries, which are primarily targeted by these destructive forces", Lavrov said at a meeting of Afghanistan's neighbours, hosted by Tehran.

According to the Russian minister, after almost two decades of NATO's attempts to impose its state-building model on Afghanistan, the nation has to start from scratch.

"Apparently, the time has come to start mobilising the effort to collect resources for financial, economic, and humanitarian assistance to Afghans", Lavrov added.

Refugees and migrants, most of them Afghans, block the entrance of the refugee camp at the disused Hellenikon airport as police officers try to disperse them, in Athens, Greece, February 6, 2017

© REUTERS / Alkis Konstantinidis

He also stressed that Afghanistan's neighbours should prevent US and NATO military forces from having a presence on their territory.

Previously, reports suggested that the US was speaking with the governments of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and other countries in the region about potential basing rights.

The situation in Afghanistan remains tense following the Taliban* takeover in August. The militants managed to seize all of the nation's provinces amid the US troop withdrawal and entered the capital on 15 August.