Russia to Drop Taliban from Terrorist List
The Kremlin has made 'a principal decision' to remove the Taliban from its list of organizations designated as terrorists, Russian Special Presidential Representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov announced Friday....
Facts
- The Kremlin has made 'a principal decision' to remove the Taliban from its list of organizations designated as terrorists, Russian Special Presidential Representative for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov announced Friday.[1][2]
- Following the latest round of consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Kabulov stated that Russia's foreign ministry and Federal Security Service 'are putting finishing legal touches on the removal of the Taliban movement.'[1]
- This comes after Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed 'cooperation in the political and economic areas' as well as the need for a 'joint fight against terrorism and drugs.'[3][4]
- In July, Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin said that Moscow considers the Taliban 'a trusted ally' in the fight against terrorism, claiming they had been fighting to uproot the Islamic State (IS) 'in the state they govern.'[5][6]
- In 2003, Russia's Supreme Court recognized the Taliban as a terrorist organization for allegedly backing illegal armed forces in Chechnya and for attempting to seize power in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.[7]
- Though no country recognizes the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate leader, and the movement is officially outlawed in Russia, the Kremlin has maintained cordial ties with the de facto rulers since August 2021.[8]
Sources: [1]TASS (a), [2]Reuters, [3]TASS (b), [4]Voice of America, [5]www.ndtv.com, [6]POLITICO, [7]The Economic Times and [8]Middleeastmonitor.
Narratives
- Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by DAWN.COM and TASS. This is a welcome step, considering the Taliban could help Russia fight IS amid a rise in terrorist attacks on its soil. It's also essential to maintain pragmatic dialogue with the current Afghan movement to develop political, trade, and economic ties with Kabul and help Afghanis finally return to the broader regional family, maintain peace in the country, and improve its national economy.
- Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by Meetings Coverage and Press Releases and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Any step toward dropping the Taliban from the list of designated terrorist organizations or recognizing the Taliban as Afghanistan's rightful government will only legitimize their oppression and create a catastrophic humanitarian situation. The Taliban must improve its human rights record to preserve the necessary space for dialogue, win international legitimacy, and rejuvenate the Afghan economy.
