Russian envoy: ‘Disaster awaits U.S. return to Afghanistan’

Russia’s special presidential envoy for Afghanistan has warned that any return by the United States to Afghan soil would end in “disaster” for Washington.

Speaking to Russian media, Zamir Kabulov said Afghans were “no strangers to war”, adding that President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about the Bagram airbase echoed his earlier controversial comments on Greenland and Canada.

The statement came as world leaders gathered in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Afghanistan, a UN member since 1946, does not have a representative at this year’s meeting. Under Article 19 of the UN Charter, countries that fail to pay their membership dues for two years lose the right to vote. According to UN records, Afghanistan’s annual contribution of around $200,000 has not been paid in recent years, and the country’s arrears now exceed $900,000.

In Kabul, Qatar’s outgoing ambassador Saeed bin Mubarak Al-Khayarin met Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, in a farewell visit. The minister thanked Qatar for its humanitarian aid, saying the Gulf state had “stood with the Afghan people during difficult times”. Al-Khayarin expressed hope that relations could expand in “various sectors” in the future.

Although Afghanistan remains a UN member, the seat is still held by a representative of the former government. The Taliban authorities, who call themselves the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, have not been granted the country’s seat at the UN.

The humanitarian situation inside Afghanistan remains severe. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), more than 15 million Afghans face acute food insecurity. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also highlighted ongoing health challenges, with preventable diseases continuing to strain the country’s fragile system.

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