Photo: Sergei Bobylev/TASS

Russian Envoy: Taliban Becomes Moscow’s Ally in Fight Against Terrorism

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov said that the Taliban has become Moscow’s ally in the fight against terrorism and is working to eradicate terrorist cells.

In an interview with the Russian News Agency TASS, the Russian diplomat said that terrorists captured across Afghanistan are held in solitary confinement at Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul.

The Russian ambassador also mentioned that his country is considering its own interests in potentially removing the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, noting that the regime is not classified as a terrorist organization in every country in the region.

“The Taliban movement is not on the list of terrorists in every country in the region. In any case, each state proceeds from its own motives and the specifics of its relations with Afghanistan,” the Russian diplomat said.

Earlier this month, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Kazakhstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin also said that Moscow views the Taliban as an ally in the fight against terrorism.

The Russian leader said he has received signals from the Taliban indicating their willingness 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,” Putin said. “And in that sense, the Taliban are certainly allies for us in fight against terrorism,” he added.

However, the Russian official’s remarks contrast with reports, including those from the UN, which indicate 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, which oversees terrorism-related sanctions, highlighted that the Taliban have strengthened their ties with international terrorist groups since returning to power in Afghanistan.

A report from last year by the UN Security Council (UNSC) 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 officials.

The report noted 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 various provinces across the country.