KABUL (TCA) — Army chiefs of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have visited Afghanistan amid concerns in Central Asia countries about the expansion of Daesh (Islamic State) in Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported.
In a meeting with the army chiefs of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Kabul on February 12, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said that the arrival of top security officials from these Central Asian nations opens a new chapter of security and economic cooperation in the region.
“I received COAS of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan today. Their arrival marks a new beginning of cooperation between the armies of Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. We also discussed combating terrorism and boosting economic cooperation between our three countries,” said Ghani in a twitter post.
In turn, the army chiefs of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan also pointed to the need for broader economic, security and transit ties with Afghanistan, the presidential palace said in a statement.
“COAS from the two countries stressed the need for a regional and international partnership toward fighting terrorism and boosting sustainable peace,” the statement said.
“Your trip marks a new chapter of relations and cooperation in the military sector between the armies of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and I hope that our ties are expanded in the future,” the statement said, quoting Ghani.
Ghani met the top security officials amid a spike in insecurity and after a spate of deadly attacks by the Taliban and Daesh militant groups in Afghan cities.
