Russia decides to 'remove' Taliban from its terrorist list

Russia's Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that the decision to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations had been "made at the highest level," according to the state TASS news agency. Zamir Kabulov, President Vladimir Putin's special representative on Afghanistan, stated that the decision would require legal procedures to be fully implemented. In July, Putin expressed that Russia views the Taliban as an ally in the fight against terrorism. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021 following the U.S. withdrawal, Russia has gradually strengthened its ties with the group, though the Taliban remains officially banned in Russia.