Extra-regional countries attempting to set up own organizations in Afghanistan under guise of antiterrorism efforts - Putin

MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Russia is concerned about attempts being made in Afghanistan by extra-regional countries to take advantage of the situation there to set up their own organizations under the guise of combating terrorism, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"We are also concerned about attempts to take advantage of the situation in Afghanistan for extra-regional countries to expand or build their infrastructure there, which they are going to set up under the guise of combating international terrorism, while those countries are actually not doing what would be necessary to genuinely combat international terrorism," Putin said at a meeting with secretaries of security councils on Afghanistan problems.

The situation in Afghanistan is not improving, and humanitarian problems there are worsening, Putin said.

"According to our information, about four million people in Afghanistan need urgent humanitarian aid," he said.

The situation is very difficult, but everything possible is being done to find solutions, he said.