Moscow: The Russian Parliament has approved a bill to remove the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations, paving the way for potential recognition of the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan.
According to international media reports, the legislation allows Russian courts to lift restrictions previously imposed on the Taliban as a designated terrorist group. The approval from the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s Parliament, marks a significant step toward normalizing relations between Russia and the Taliban government.
The bill proposes that if the Taliban cease activities related to terrorism, Russian courts can formally remove them from the terrorist organizations list. Under the law, the Prosecutor General of Russia can file a petition in court, asserting that a banned group has ceased supporting terrorism. A judge may then issue a ruling to delist the organization.
The move comes as the Taliban, who overthrew the Ashraf Ghani government in August 2021, continue efforts to establish diplomatic ties with Russia. These efforts gained momentum earlier this year when Russian President Vladimir Putin stated in July that the Taliban were now allies in the fight against terrorism.
The Taliban were initially designated as a terrorist organization by Russia in February 2003. In a similar stance, Russia also labeled Syrian rebel group “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” as a terrorist organization in 2020.
Experts suggest that while the new law indicates a shift in Russia’s approach toward the Taliban, it remains unclear whether similar concessions will be extended to other groups, such as Syrian rebels.
This development signals a significant change in Russia’s foreign policy and its evolving stance on terrorism and regional diplomacy.
