Russia to remove Taliban terrorist status, envoy says

Russia is preparing to remove the terrorist designation from the Taliban, Russian envoy to Afghanistan Zamir Kamulov announced Friday, according to state media.

Kamulov said the Federal Security Service, Russia’s security agency, and “other” agencies “are putting finishing legal touches on the removal of the Taliban movement from Russia’s list of terrorists.” 

“A principal decision on this has already been made by the Russian leadership,” he told reporters. “But the process should be carried out within the Russian legal framework.” 

The Taliban has been on Russia’s terrorist list since 2003. In recent years, however, Moscow has made inroads with the group since its rise to power following the Biden administration’s withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met Friday with the Taliban’s foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, where they discussed “cooperation between Moscow and Kabul.”

“Ignoring criticism from the world community, the United States continues to illegally hold onto Afghanistan’s national assets and maintains tough sanctions against the country’s banking sector,” Lavrov said at the beginning of his meeting.

“Once again, we appeal to Western countries with an urgent call to acknowledge responsibility for the post-conflict reconstruction of Afghanistan, lift sanctions restrictions and return Kabul’s appropriated assets,” he added.

Lavrov also applauded the Taliban’s effort to fight against drugs and in confronting the Islamic State. The foreign minister called for an increase in humanitarian aid and vowed that Russia would keep delivering food and other supplies to the group. 

Putin, who called the Taliban a “trusted ally” in July, suggested the group could assist Moscow in fighting back against the Islamic State. ISIS-K took credit for a terrorist attack on a concert hall in Moscow earlier this year that killed over 130 people.

Threats from terrorist groups such as ISIS have surged across the globe since the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, an exit that marked a new phase in the war on terrorism.