Russia has formally ended its decades-long listing of the Taliban as a terrorist group, a step that represents a major policy change and sets the stage for official interaction with Afghanistan’s ruling power. The move was announced Thursday following Russia’s Supreme Court decision to de-list the Taliban from its roster of prohibited terrorist organizations, a designation it had carried since 2003.
While no nation has officially accepted the Taliban regime since it took over in August 2021 after the US led withdrawal, Moscow has continued to ramp up relations with the group. Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled during the previous year that the Taliban are now a regional partner in the fight against terrorism.
The decision follows increased security worries in Russia. In March 2024, Islamic State gunmen attacked a concert hall outside Moscow and killed 145 individuals in an attack ISIS-K’s Afghan affiliate claimed. US intelligence has also attributed the attack to ISIS-K. Russia views engagement with the Taliban as a pragmatic imperative in its efforts to contain similar extremist threats throughout Central Asia and the wider Middle East.
Taliban leaders have committed to eradicating ISIS-K from Afghan soil. Western governments still refuse to recognize the Taliban regime, primarily because of its human rights record specifically, its limitation of women and girls. Since the Taliban’s takeover, female students have been prohibited from attending high schools and universities and are subject to severe movement restrictions by women without a male chaperone.
In spite of all these problems, Russia’s recent action indicates an increasing willingness to engage the Taliban as a legitimate political force in the region, ahead of security cooperation and regional stability over long-term international isolation.
