Russia says will assist Taliban in fight against terrorism

ISTANBUL

Russia’s presidential envoy for Afghanistan on Friday said his country will assist the Taliban in the fight against terrorism.

In an interview with Russian state news agency RIA, Zamir Kabulov said the recent decision of the Supreme Court to suspend the ban on the activities of the Taliban was a result of “long and meticulous” work.

“The Supreme Court's decision has removed the obstacles to establishing a full-fledged partnership with Kabul, including in countering the terrorist threat,” Kabulov said.

He said Russia sees and appreciates the Taliban’s efforts in fighting the Afghan branch of IS Khorasan, the ISIS (Daesh) terror group's regional branch in Central and South Asia.

“This group is a common enemy for Russia and Afghanistan, and we will provide all possible assistance to the authorities of this country through specialized structures,” Kabulov said.

Asked if Russia is ready to officially recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan, Kabulov said cooperation between Moscow and Kabul continued de facto, and the ban’s suspension has removed all obstacles for full-scale cooperation in various sectors.

“The arrival of the Afghan ambassador to Moscow will put an end to this issue. We will officially announce this,” he said, adding that Russia has offered to increase the level of Afghanistan’s diplomatic presence in the country.

He said Russia is ready for contacts with the West, including the US, on Afghanistan, but it expects a “constructive attitude” in taking “measures to unblock Afghan national assets that were frozen in Western banks immediately after the Taliban came to power.”

Last month, Russia’s Supreme Court suspended the ban on the activities of the Taliban, which was included in the country's list of banned terrorist organizations in 2003.

Russian lawmakers voted in December to adopt a bill on introducing a mechanism to suspend bans on the activities of terror groups.

While the bill did not mention any specific group, Leonid Slutsky, leader of Russia’s Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters following the bill's submission that the mechanism aimed to ensure legal interaction between Russia and the Taliban.

After nearly two decades of fighting US-led coalition forces, the Taliban reclaimed power in Afghanistan in August 2021.