Russia’s Supreme Court lifted a ban against the Taliban on Thursday, removing Afghanistan’s rulers from a list of terror groups as ties deepen between Moscow and Kabul.
The diplomatic win for the Taliban comes after 22 years of being designated a terrorist group by Moscow, making any contact with them punishable by law.
The Kremlin now stands as a potential close ally to the Taliban, whose strict interpretation of Shariah law and restrictions on women’s rights have left Afghanistan isolated from the world stage, with no nation formally recognizing their government.
The court’s ruling comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin and lawmakers pushed a bill last year calling on the courts to suspend the Taliban’s terror designation.
Russia has been viewed as widely unpopular in Afghanistan following the Soviet Union’s 10-year war in the Middle East, which saw its troops withdraw in 1989 as anti-Moscow terror groups sprang up.
South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman said the court’s move amounted to a “win-win” between Moscow and Kabul.
Opening the doors to diplomatic ties would allow Russia to bolster its influence in the region and address the anti-Kremlin terror groups like ISIS-K, which killed 137 people in Moscow last year.
“Meanwhile, for the Taliban, the court decision is a legitimacy-boosting outcome they can leverage to point to international acceptance of their rule,” Kugelman told the Associated Press.
The change also effectively lifts the legal impairment for trade between Afghanistan and Russia.
The pathway to normalization between Moscow and Kabul serves as a major win for the Taliban, whose leaders have been calling for greater engagement with the international community.
The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan following the chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO troops in the summer of 2021 following two decades of war.
While the group initially claimed that it would install a more moderate rule than its first regime, it quickly began imposing harsh restrictions against women and girls.
Under the Taliban’s rule, women are barred from most jobs and public places, including parks, baths and gyms, while girls are banned from education beyond sixth grade.
The Taliban also brought back their strict interpretation of Islamic law, including public executions, all of which has hampered their foreign relations efforts.
With Post wires
