KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow views the Taliban as an ally in the fight against terrorism, emphasizing the importance of maintaining relations with the current regime in Afghanistan.
Speaking at a press briefing following the SCO summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, July 4, Putin mentioned receiving signals from the Taliban indicating their readiness to cooperate in combating terrorism.
“The Taliban movement have made certain commitments … but in general we have to assume that the Taliban control the power in the country,” the Russian leader told reporters. “And in that sense, the Taliban are certainly allies for us in fight against terrorism,” he added, stressing the need to maintain relations with Afghanistan’s current political structure.
Putin acknowledged that the Taliban have “taken on some responsibilities” but cautioned that ongoing issues require constant attention from both inside the country and the international community.
However, Putin’s remarks contrast with reports, including those from the UN, indicating that the Taliban maintain close ties with international terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda, TTP, and others.
In a February report, the UN Security Council’s Sanctions Monitoring Committee, responsible for overseeing terrorism-related sanctions, highlighted that the Taliban have increased ties with international terrorist groups since returning to power in Afghanistan.
While the Taliban claim to fight the local branch of the Islamic State, IS-KP, the report noted that the terrorist group is deeply entrenched within the Taliban ranks.
A report from last year by the UN Security Council also highlighted that terrorist groups, particularly Al-Qaeda, maintain a close relationship with the Taliban and have infiltrated the regime’s government institutions with the support of high-ranking Taliban authorities.
The report highlighted that Al-Qaeda uses Afghanistan as an ideological and logistical hub to recruit new fighters and “covertly rebuild its external operations capability.” Additionally, the group has established new training centers in many provinces of the country.
Neighboring Pakistan also accuses the Taliban of harboring its adversary, TTP, and its affiliates, providing them with training and advanced weapons to carry out cross-border attacks. TTP militants have unleashed a new spate of terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
Pakistan has repeatedly called on the regime in Kabul to take action against the militant group and hand them over to Islamabad.
