Afghanistan Times
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AT News Report-KABUL: The government rejected Russia’s allegations that Afghan troops sell arms and weapons to Taliban, calling it “false propaganda”.
Zamir Kabulov, Russian envoy to Afghanistan had said that Taliban demanded cash from Moscow so they could buy weapons from Afghan security forces.
“Some countries make false claims for their own interests,” ministries of defense and interior responded Saturday.
Shah Wali Safi, an official of the interior ministry said that the claim of weapons sale by the Afghan troops was not true.
“This is a false propaganda because Afghan forces give sacrifices in the battlefield. Why should they sell their weapons? We have no evidence in this issue, this is a regional policy to defame their rivals,” Safi said.
Kabulov confirmed contacts with Taliban leaders, saying this is made to save the lives of Russian nationals in Afghanistan and pursue Taliban to the Kabul-initiated peace talks.
His claims over the arms deal by Afghan soldiers and police with Taliban have been often confirmed by Afghan officials. Head of provincial councils of Uruzgan and Farah had said that some police officers sell weapons to Taliban fighters.
The European Union’s office in Afghanistan also confirmed the arms deal, saying that Afghans are killed by the weapons sold by soldiers and police to Taliban.
Nazir Rasouli, a police officer in Kandahar province was arrested for selling arms to Taliban.
Mohammad Radmanesh, spokesman of defense ministry said that all the weapons soldiers carry are registered and the soldiers are accountable for them.
“We reject this claim. We distribute the weapons to soldiers after registering them and every soldier and officer is responsible for his weapon,” Radmanesh said.
