The presidents of Russia and Tajikistan expressed concern about ISIS influence in Afghanistan

The presidents of Russia and Tajikistan, in a telephone conversation about Afghanistan, expressed concern over the influence of ISIS in the country.

In a telephone conversation with his Tajik counterpart on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed concern about ISIL’s infiltration into Afghanistan and said he believed the group had a strong presence in northern Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Russia’s ambassador to the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, told the media that steps were being taken to strengthen the protection of Tajikistan’s borders.

On the other hand, Pakistan and Iran claim that the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks on Shiite worshipers in Peshawar and Iranian clerics in the shrine of Imam Reza were Afghan nationals.

Countries in the region have previously expressed concern about the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, but the Taliban, who currently control Afghanistan, have denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, saying they will not allow the use of Afghan territory against any country.