Russia said it supports the Taliban’s demand for foreign troops to leave Afghanistan as it criticized agreements that allow US and NATO forces to remain for the long term in the war-torn country, Bloomberg reported.

“Of course it’s justified” for the Taliban to oppose the foreign military presence, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said in an interview in Moscow. “Who’s in favor? Name me one neighboring state that supports it.”

Russia and the US are increasingly at odds over Afghanistan, Bloomberg said.

US generals say Russia may be supplying weapons to the Taliban, which is waging an expanding insurgency against the pro-Western Afghan government. Moscow denies the allegation.

Kabulov accused the US of sabotaging Russian efforts to help end the Afghan war by boycotting a Moscow meeting planned for mid-April between Afghanistan and outside powers.

Source: MENA