Parties to Afghan Peace Talks Concerned Over Internal Terror Growth - Moscow

Experts on Afghanistan expressed concern over the growth of a terrorism threat in the country on the sidelines of the Russian-hosted Afghanistan peace conference.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Participants of the Russian-hosted Afghanistan peace conference expressed concern over the growth of a terrorism threat in the country, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday.

"In the course of an honest and constructive exchange of views on the state and prospects of military and political situation in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the parties expressed concern over the growth of terrorism activity, leading to further bloodshed and suffering of the Afghan people," the statement read.

The parties agreed that the Afghan crisis did not have a military solution, that it can only be resolved by political means, as stipulated in the corresponding UNSC resolutions, according to the statement.

Attendees reportedly reaffirmed their readiness to assist in providing support to Kabul and urged the international community to continue supporting the crisis-torn country in order to ensure stability and national reconciliation.

Afghanistan is suffering from unstable political, social and security issues due to the activity of the Taliban movement and Daesh, both outlawed in Russia.

Earlier in the day, the fifth Afghanistan peace conference kicked off in Moscow, which was attended by 11 countries, including Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India, Afghanistan and a number of Central Asian states.