KABUL (Pajhwok): Meshrano Jirga or Senate Chairman Fazal Hadi Muslimyar on Sunday said Russia was ready to provide military assistance to Afghanistan.
Muslimyar, who just returned from a trip to Moscow, told the upper house that Russia was likely provide 20,000 AK-47 assault rifles to Afghan security forces in the coming 20 days.
He said during his visit to the Kremlin, Russian officials assured him of speedy military assistance to Afghan forces.
According to Muslimyar, Russian officials made it clear that Moscow would never violate Afghan’ territory to go after Islamic State (IS), but any action against the hardcore terrorists would be taken with understanding of the Afghan government.
The Senate chairman said Russian officials were prepared to directly help Afghanistan in the war against terrorism.
Muslimyar said he had urged Russian officials to equip the Afghan Air Force with helicopter gunships in aid or on the basis of long-term loan.
Menwhile, Senate’s Deputy Chairman Mohammad Alam Eyzidyar briefed the house about his visit to eastern Kunar province.
He said timbers were being cut and smuggled out of the country and the provincial authorities demanded a halt to the deforestation.
He said Kunar residents had provided him a list of timber smugglers and they demanded the government take action against them.
Edidyar said huge revenue could be generated and thousands of people provided with job opportunities if the government invested in wood business in Kunar.
Some lawmakers asked Ezidyar to reveal the names on the list but others opposed it, saying the smugglers would flee if named.
The deputy chairman said the list of smugglers would be shared with the judicial department and the house would investigate the issue.
nh/ma