WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES – The US National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby, has criticized Russia’s intention to remove the Taliban from its list of designated terrorist organizations, warning that such a move sends a “horrible message” to other countries.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, May 28, Mr. Kirby said that the Taliban has failed to meet any of the commitments it made to the international community.
The US official also said that his country would not follow Russia’s example, citing the Taliban’s treatment of Afghan people, especially women and girls, as well as their management of the country’s economy.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, Russia maintained its diplomatic ties with the group. The country kept its embassy open in Kabul and allowed Taliban diplomats to take over the Afghan embassy in Moscow.
Recently, the Russian Foreign and Justice Ministries have recommended to President Vladimir Putin that the Taliban could be removed from Russia’s list of designated terrorist organizations. The country designated the Taliban as a terrorist group in 2003, following the group’s endorsement of Chechnya’s bid for independence and its attempt to sell 500 heavy weapons to Chechen rebels through the Saudi charity, al-Haramain.
As reported by the Russian state news agency TASS today, May 28, Vladimir Putin has said that building relations with the Taliban is necessary because the group controls Afghanistan and currently holds authority in the country.
“Afghanistan has issues, they are undeniable and well-known to all,” the Russian leader said. “The issue how to establish ties with the current power is another question. Yet they must be established somehow, these are the people who control the country and its territory, they are the current authority in Afghanistan,” he added.
“We need to proceed in accordance with reality and build relations accordingly,” Mr. Putin said.
Furthermore, the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, has recently described the Taliban as the “real power” in Afghanistan, asserting that the decision to remove them from the terror list reflects an acknowledgment of realities.
“Kazakhstan has recently decided to remove them from the list of terrorist organizations. We are going to do this, too,” said the top Russian diplomat. “The UN Security Council did not declare the Taliban a terrorist organization. There are twelve to fifteen specific persons on the list,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed Russia’s decision, saying that the regime has a strong political will to secure the interests of both countries by broadening and strengthening positive relations.
In a statement today, May 29, ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi claimed that Afghanistan currently has a “responsible government” that has created an opportune environment for all regional countries to work towards further developing positive relations, while taking into consideration bilateral priorities.
The Russian decision to delist the fundamentalist regime currently in power in Afghanistan has also provoked responses from human rights defenders and armed groups in the country who oppose the Taliban.
The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), an armed group that has been in conflict with the Taliban since their return to power, condemned Russia’s move, warning that it encourages terrorist and extremist groups around the world.
In a statement released today, the AFF expressed that the decision contradicts Russia’s commitment in its fight against terrorism and fundamentalism.
“The move encourages terrorist groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Tajikistan’s Ansarullah, and other armed extremist groups in Central Asia, whose terrorist activities have reached Russia in recent months,” part of the AFF statement reads.
