REPORT: Taliban Sources Confirm Russian Bounties

The Insider reports:

Taliban commanders have confirmed that Russia has offered financial and material support to its members in exchange for attacking US forces in Afghanistan. President Donald Trump has since strongly denied that he was told of this intelligence and attacked its credibility, characterizing the existence of Russian bounty payments as fake.

But three separate Taliban sources told Insider they were aware of Russian bounty payments being made — though they said only the less-disciplined elements on the fringes of the group would take up such an offer.

When reached through formal channels, officials with the Taliban — formally called the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan — refused to comment. But the three sources all confirmed the practice takes place and that Russian intelligence officials are known to pay.

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