RASC News Agency: Russian-language media have reported that Imangali Tasmagambetov, the Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), has reiterated that instability in Afghanistan continues to threaten the security of CSTO member states. According to a Wednesday, November 27, report by TASS News Agency, Tasmagambetov emphasized that the sources of security challenges and threats emanating from Afghanistan territory remain unaddressed. The CSTO member states are scheduled to meet today, Thursday, November 28, in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Tasmagambetov highlighted that discussions at the summit will prioritize the plan to fortify the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border.
He also underlined that a comprehensive review of the political and security landscape in the region, particularly in countries bordering Afghanistan, will be a pivotal agenda item. The Secretary-General previously announced that the plan to bolster the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border has reached its final phase, with practical implementation expected to begin imminently. Notably, since the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan’s neighboring countries have increasingly voiced concerns about the potential spillover of insecurity into their territories. Central Asian nations, in particular, remain deeply alarmed.
While some Central Asian states have, over the past three years, sought to leverage the chaotic situation in Afghanistan to advance their economic and security interests, overarching fears about the region’s future persist. This anxiety stems from the fact that the Taliban is not the sole entity in control of Afghanistan. The group hosts numerous terrorist organizations, many of which originate from Central Asian countries and now operate within Afghanistan’s borders.