Moscow: Russia has officially recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan and become the first country to do so.
The move came after Moscow accepted the credentials of a new Afghan ambassador.
Russia said on Thursday that it wants to strengthen the tape with Kabul, especially in safety, trade and combating terrorism.
In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow was so good prospects of developing ties and would continue to support Kabul in safety, terrorism and combating drug crime.
It also saw significant trade and economic opportunities, especially in energy, transport, agriculture and infrastructure.
“We believe that the act of official recognition of the Government of Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan will provide driving force for the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in different areas,” the ministry said.
The Taliban called the step “brave” and hopes it will encourage other countries to follow.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said in a statement: “We appreciate this brave step taken by Russia, and, God willing, it will also serve as an example for others.”
No other country has formally recognized the Taliban government, which seized power in August 2021, when the US-led forces staged a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war. However, China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Pakistan, have all appointed ambassadors in Kabul in one step towards recognition.
The Russian feature represents an important milestone for the Taliban administration as it seeks to facilitate its international insulation.
It is likely to be closely monitored by Washington, who has frozen billions in Afghanistan’s central bank’s assets and enforced sanctions against some senior leaders in the Taliban who contributed to Afghanistan’s banking sector, which was largely cut off from the international financial system.
Complex history
Russia has gradually built relations with the Taliban, as President Vladimir Putin said last year was now an ally in the fight against terrorism. Since 2022, Afghanistan has imported gas, oil and wheat from Russia.
The Taliban was banned by Russia as a terrorist movement in 2003, but the ban was abolished in April this year. Russia sees a need to work with Kabul as it faces a major security threat from Islamist militant groups based in a number of countries from Afghanistan to the Middle East.
In March 2024, gunmen killed 149 people in a concert hall outside Moscow in an attack required by the Islamic State. US officials said they had intelligence that indicated that it was the Afghan branch of the group, Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) that was responsible.
The Taliban says it is working to wipe out the presence of the Islamic State in Afghanistan.
Western diplomats say Taliban’s path to a broader international recognition is blocked until it changes course for women’s rights. The Taliban has closed colleges and universities for girls and women and placed restrictions on their movement without a male guardian. It says it respects women’s rights in accordance with its strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Russia has a complex and blood -colored history in Afghanistan. Soviet troops invaded the country in December 1979 to support a communist government, but was spoiled in a long war against the Mujahide -warriors armed by the United States. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbatsjov pulled out his army in 1989, at which time about 15,000 Soviet soldiers were killed.
