S. Ivanov: Russia struggling against international terrorism not only in ChechnyaMOSCOW. Sept 24 (Interfax) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has stated that Moscow "has been struggling against international terrorism for many years, not only in Chechnya." "It has been supporting the Northern Alliance, which is fighting against the Taliban," he said.
"Chechnya and Afghanistan are branches of one tree, whose roots are in Afghanistan," said Ivanov.
He told journalists in Moscow on Monday that "international terrorism has been appearing in territories that no one controls."
"This is taking place in the Philippines, in Chechnya and in some countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States," said Ivanov.
"The possible counter-terrorist operation in Afghanistan must not take the form of a military operation in all aspects. Enormous financial and drug flows must be revealed," he said.
He announced that this year alone, Russian border guards have seized more than 2 tonnes of heroin on the Tajik-Afghan border. "I know that our Iranian collages are also struggling against drug trafficking," the Russian defense minister said. |
