Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov dismisses US intel on bounties to Taliban

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday, July 10 dismissed US allegation over Moscow offered bounties to the Taliban for killing American soldiers in Afghanistan.

According to US intelligence reports, a Russian unit infamous for assassinations and other covert operations had offered the Afghan Taliban bounties to killing American soldiers in 2019, international media reported. However, out of the 20 American troops killed, it is yet not clear which cases were under suspension.

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Meanwhile, Russia has constantly denied it. Recently, the country's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that it was all a ‘sham.’ He also added Russia had welcomed a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban in February and also provided assistance to help it work.

“There has been a hype in the United States over speculation on alleged ties between Russia and the Taliban and our alleged push on them to fight against US servicemen or even a reward for their heads. I can only say that the entire thing has hinged on unscrupulous speculations, and no concrete facts have been presented whatsoever,” Lavrov said during a videoconference on foreign policy issues. 

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US unsure of intelligence input

Earlier, US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said that President Donald Trump was not verbally briefed on Russian bounty reports because of a lack of confidence in the intelligence inputs. In an interview with an international media outlet, O’Brien said that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) briefer decided against briefing the President since it was unverified intelligence.

Later at the White House, the NSA reiterated that the CIA officer who serves as the President’s briefer chose not to tell Trump about reports that suggested Russian military intelligence unit had offered incentives to Taliban-linked militants to kill US troops because she didn't have the confidence in the intelligence.

Read: Pentagon: US Will Respond If Bounty Reports True

Read: CIA Didn't Verbally Brief Donald Trump On Russian Bounty Reports: US NSA

Image credits: AP