Afghanistan could become a new safe haven for IS, claims Russia

The United States and NATO have failed to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan over the past 15 years, alleges Russia.

Russian Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday: “The situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate.”

The news agency TASS quoted him as saying the presence of the US and NATO had failed to bring the situation in Afghanistan to normal.

Addressing the 7th Moscow conference on international security, Shoigu accused the US of seeking to gain a foothold in Central Asia on new terms.

The US was trying to spread its influence to countries around Afghanistan, he claimed. "This does not meet the interests of regional countries and serves as a global destabilizing factor."

He warned Afghanistan could become a new safe haven for Islamic State (Daesh) militants and other terror groups.

Delegations from 95 countries, including 30 defense ministers, are attending the two-day event.