Moscow has expressed concerns over widespread protests over ethnic issues in northern Afghanistan, and asked the Islamic Emirate to not allow inflammatory individuals to fuel ethnic tensions in the region.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, talking at a briefing on Thursday, said that the protests in northern Afghanistan had taken place over the detention of a Taliban commander of the Uzbek ethnic group on charges of committing illegal acts. She asked the Islamic Emirate to not succumb to provocations staged by destructive elements.

“We are concerned over the ethnic protests that broke out in the north of the country. They were sparked by the arrest of a Taliban field commander, an ethnic Uzbek, on charges of illegal actions. We hope the new authorities will not succumb to provocations staged by destructive elements, which are aimed at fueling ethnic strife with a view to destabilizing the situation during this difficult time for the country,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate says that Makhdoom Alam had been arrested on charges of involvement in kidnapping.

“Addressing ethnic politics in governance in a country like Afghanistan will increase the distance between the government and the nation and will increase instability, unrest and economic challenges in the country,” said Fakhruddin Qarizada, former advisor of ministry of foreign affairs.

“I think their concern is unfounded, because the Islamic Emirate has the ability to control movements against public security,”said Hamid Aziz Mojadidi, a university lecturer.

Moscow called on the Islamic Emirate to step up efforts against the Islamic Khurasan Province (ISKP) and Hizb ut-Tahrir in Takhar province, given the terrorist activities in the northern provinces bordering Central Asia.

Although Russia and Tajikistan have always been concerned about possible threats from Afghanistan, Kabul has pledged that Afghanistan’s territory will not be used against any country.