20 years of US presence in Afghanistan 'catastrophe': Russia

MOSCOW: The US mission in Afghanistan over the past two decades "was not simply a failure, but a catastrophe", Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

The problems of terrorism, drug trafficking and low living standards were not resolved but even exacerbated, Zakharova said during her weekly briefing, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The final chord of the international coalition's military presence was the death of civilians as a result of an American drone strike," she said, adding that Russia strongly condemns such "indiscriminate use of force".

In addition, Zakharova called on the international community to take effective actions to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, and reiterated Russian support for an inclusive government with the participation of all ethnic and political groups. (IANS)

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