Russia has denied offering rewards to the Taliban for killing US troops in Afghanistan. In a series of 'tweets' on their account, the Russian embassy in Washington spoke of'fake news'and accused the New York Times, which had written about it, of circulating news that unleashed threats to Russian diplomats. In fact, not only the New York Times, but also the The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal, had reported, citing anonymous sources of the administration, that a Russian military intelligence unit offered rewards to the Taliban who organized ambushes for coalition forces in Afghanistan: a sort of 'cuts to militiamen linked to the Taliban willing to strike, even during peace talks to end the conflict between the regular forces and the Islamist guerrillas. According to sources in the American press, the Russian unit, linked to assassination attempts and other secret operations in Europe aimed at destabilizing the West, recruited guerrillas or simple criminals by offering money and weapons in exchange for ambushes that led to killing. of coalition soldiers. Twenty Americans were killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2019, but it is not clear whether their deaths are linked to the 'bounty' mechanism. With a series of 'tweets' on his account, the Russian embassy accused the New York Times of putting into circulation'fake news', moreover dangerous for diplomats: "Unfounded and anonymous accusations published by the New York Times that Moscow is the mastermind behind the killing of US soldiers in Afghanistan have already led to direct threats to the lives of Russian embassy employees. Washington DC and London ".
Trump's denial
To about Donald Trump states that "No one has reported to me, Vice President Pence or chief of staff Mark Meadows of the so-called attacks on our troops in Afghanistan by the Russians, as reported, based on an anonymous source, by the Fake New New York Times". The president therefore not only denies that he was aware of the fact that the Russians were offering bounties to the Taliban to kill American soldiers, but also questions the veracity of the news that, according to the Times and other American media, comes from US intelligence. "Everyone is denying it and there have not been many attacks on us“, Writes Trump again. The White House, denying that Trump was informed as the Times wrote, has not denied the fact that the intelligence report on the matter exists. Trump then claimed to have the toughest policy of all with Russia: "with corrupt Joe Biden and Obama, Russia was free to take important parts of Ukraine". And he concluded by saying that the news is "probably another The Times' fake killer job, like the fake bankruptcy on Russia". “Who is their source?” He finally asks himself.
The denial of the Taliban
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied the news released by the "New York Times", stating that such "rumors" risk hindering the exit of the US military from the country. According to Mujahid, some circles in the United States were disappointed by the Doha peace agreement, reached on February 29, under which the US military will withdraw from Afghanistan. Certain circles "want to prevent the withdrawal of the Americans from here because they will lose the resources and income they have earned by continuing the war and want to do everything to survive," he said. According to the spokesman in a statement, all the weapons used by the movement were already present in the country or stolen from the opposition. The spokesman stressed that the Taliban's activities are not related to any foreign intelligence body or country. The Taliban, he added, are committed to the agreement with the United States, the implementation of which will guarantee peace and stability to the country.