Russia removes Taliban from list of banned terrorist groups
Move paves the way for Moscow to normalise ties with leadership of Afghanistan
In a move that paves the way for Moscow to normalize ties with the leadership of Afghanistan, Russia has suspended its ban on the Taliban, which it had designated as a terrorist organization for more than two decades. No country currently recognises the Taliban government that seized power in August 2021 as US-led forces staged a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war. But Russia has been gradually building ties with the movement, which Vladimir Putin said last year was now an ally in fighting terrorism.
In 2003, Russia declared the Taliban to be a terrorist organization and banned them. According to state media, the ban was lifted immediately on Thursday by the Supreme Court. Russia sees the need to collaborate with the Taliban because Islamist militant groups based in a number of countries, from Afghanistan to the Middle East, pose a significant threat to its security. In an attack that was claimed by Islamic State, gunmen killed 145 people in a concert hall outside of Moscow in March 2024. US officials said they had intelligence indicating it was the Afghan branch of the group, Islamic State Khorasan (Isis-K), that was responsible.
The Taliban says it is working to wipe out the presence of IS in Afghanistan.
Western diplomats say the movement’s path towards wider international recognition is stalled until it changes course on women’s rights.
The Taliban has closed schools and universities to girls and women and placed restrictions on their movement without a male guardian.