SCO head raises concerns about regional security ‘spreading from Afghanistan’

The head of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) counter-terrorism unit Evgeniy Sysoev raised concerns this week of what he said was a deteriorating situation in Afghanistan which could increase the risk of instability in the region.

Addressing a meeting in Tashkent on Wednesday, titled “Modern Security: Challenges and Solutions”, he said: “The worsening situation in Afghanistan increases the risk of instability in the entire region, especially in Central Asia.”

According to IRNA news agency, Sysoev said there is a possibility of instability spreading from Afghanistan to the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations (CIS) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

He added: “The worsening socio-economic situation, the mass exodus of Afghans abroad, the growing ethnic conflicts, the increase in cross-border crimes and drug trafficking, multiply the risk of destabilizing the situation in Central Asia.”

This comes after India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said Tuesday the world should not forget the situation in Afghanistan, including the threat from terrorists operating on Afghan soil.

Meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Jaishankar said: “It is legitimate that the international community, especially the neighbours, today work together to ensure that there is no terrorism threat that comes out of Afghanistan.”