Lavrov: After 11 September , America continued its presence in Afghanistan instead of eliminating terrorism

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the United States of deciding to continue its military presence in Afghanistan for years after the September 11, 2001 attacks, instead of focusing on eliminating terrorism.

In an interview with the Russian RBC television channel, Lavrov said that after the September 11 attacks, Moscow was ready to cooperate with the international coalition to combat terrorism in Afghanistan within the framework of a UN Security Council resolution.

The Russian Foreign Minister also said that after the September 11 attacks, Russian President Vladimir Putin was the first foreign leader to contact the then US president and offer Moscow’s help.

According to Lavrov, after the September 11 attacks, the UN Security Council paved the way for the US military operation in Afghanistan with the aim of fighting terrorism and helping the country’s people return to normal life, but Washington continued to have a long-term military presence in Afghanistan.