Russia alarmed by worsening situation in Afghanistan

An attack on the Afghan parliament in Kabul testifies to worsening of the situation in the country, the deputy to the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vladimir Safronov, told a session of the UN Security Council on Monday, Tass news agency reported.

"The Russian Federation is concerned about a deteriorating situation. Today’s attack on the Afghan parliament is another evidence of that," Safronov said.

"A high terrorist threat and militants’ gaining ground in northern regions of the country, especially in Kunduz Province of late, give rise to major concerns for our country and our neighbours in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)," he said, urging effort to prevent destabilization of the situation in the region.

"We have repeatedly warned that militants will try to take advantage of the withdrawal of foreign military contingents from Afghanistan to change the balance of forces in their favor," he said. This forecast "has provedfully true" after "a spring armed activity" in the country resumed.

The deputy ambassador drew attention to a growing threat in Afghanistan from Islamic State, urging UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to pay major attention to that issue in the next report on the situation in Afghanistan.

Top United Nations envoy to Afghanistan Nichols Heysom said earlier that more than 4,200 civilians have been killed or wounded in Afghanistan this year. People are killed in the course of armed clashes as well as in terrorist acts.