MOSCOW: Russia is ‘very preoccupied’ by the increasing presence and influence of Islamic State (IS) fighters in Afghanistan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday. “We are very preoccupied by what is happening in Afghanistan and by the expansion of IS influence,” Lavrov said during a press conference in Moscow with his Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Asif. According to Lavrov, the presence of IS in the north and east of Afghanistan is ‘serious’ and ‘already amounts to a thousand people’. Moscow is especially concerned, he said, about the security threat this creates for neighbouring former Soviet republics and to Russia. “This is right on the borders of our Central Asian neighbours. It increases the risk of terrorists entering Central Asia, from where it’s not difficult for them to get to Russia, and further,” Lavrov said. IS and the Taliban have staged several attacks in Afghanistan in recent weeks, including one on a luxury hotel in Kabul on January 20. Russia has repeatedly criticized Washington’s strategy in Afghanistan, calling for the Taliban to be included in peace negotiations with the Afghan government. Addressing the press conference, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said that Pakistan will not let others fight their wars on its soil. The statement came a week after the United States put forward a motion to place Pakistan on a global terrorist-financing watchlist. Kh Asif, who is in Russia on a three-day visit, reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the fight against terrorism despite huge losses the country had suffered. He also spoke about the threat the militancy posed to the entire region, identifying IS as the main challenge. The minister said Pakistan and Russia shared common concerns regarding “threats posed by prevailing situation in Afghanistan … [which include] terrorism, exponential increase in drug production, [and] use of drug money for terror-financing.” He said that the concerns also included security of regional countries, increasing presence of IS and location of its camps close to border with Pakistan and the Central Asian states. “An Afghan-led reconciliation process is the only viable option for lasting peace in Afghanistan,” he stressed. Asif reiterated Pakistan’s stance that the country was being blamed for the failure of foreign forces in bringing peace to Afghanistan. “Pakistan has sustained a lot of damage in the fight against terrorism,” he added. Published in Daily Times, February 21st 2018.