Nur-Sultan, Nov 12 (IANS): The former president of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, on Tuesday considered it necessary that Central Asian countries, together with Russia and China, cooperate to prevent the spread of extremism and terrorism in the region to reduce dependence on the United States.

Karzai told Efe at the Astana Club conference, which addressed the issues confronting Eurasia, that the recent attack by jihadists on a Tajik border post after crossing from Afghanistan is a clear indication of the challenges facing the region in this area.

At least 15 members of the Islamic State terrorist group died in the security operation, and four others were arrested, the Tajik Border Guard reported.

"This must bring us all, the Central Asian countries, Afghanistan, and especially the major powers in the region such as Russia and China, to cooperate together and to take this matter into our own hands and prevent the spread of extremism and terrorism," he said.

He hoped that "the United States would sincerely engage with Afghanistan and the rest of the region" to prevent the spread of terrorism and extremism, but believed that "in the past 18 years, in spite of the loss of life and suffering of the Afghan people, it was not achieved."

"If extra-regional forces cannot do this, then it is upon the region in the form of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and especially with the backing of Russia and China, to put all our resources together to bring an end the extremism from which our people are suffering," he said.