KABUL (TOLONews): Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council, stated that removing the name “Taliban” from the list of banned groups in Russia paves the way for expanded cooperation with Kabul.
Speaking at a meeting with the secretaries of security councils of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states, Sergey Shoigu described this cooperation as beneficial for both Russia and the people of Afghanistan.
He also referred to the revival of the SCO-Afghanistan contact group.
He said: “As is known, on April 17, 2025, the Russian Supreme Court decided to suspend the ban on the activities of the Taliban movement, which was included in the list of terrorist organizations. We believe that this step will pave the way for establishing additional cooperation with Kabul in the interests of the Russian and Afghan peoples. The resumption of the activities of the SCO-Afghanistan contact group could also be discussed.”
Sayed Moqaddam Amin, a political affairs expert, said: “Russia’s relations with the Islamic Emirate, through legal channels, could benefit both sides and represent a positive point for Afghanistan in international forums. Without a doubt, Russia doesn’t have a fixed stance, but it is optimistic about the situation in Afghanistan.”
These statements from Russia’s Security Council secretary about expanding cooperation with Kabul come a day after the country’s defense minister claimed that 20 terrorist groups are present in Afghanistan, posing a threat to Central Asia.
In response, the caretaker government said the idea of the existence of 20 terrorist groups dates back to the US presence in Afghanistan and was intelligence-driven.
Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, said: “The Islamic Emirate considers concerns arising from the perception of threats from Afghanistan as baseless. No independent terrorist group exists in Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a threat to no one. The notion of terrorist groups in Afghanistan emerged during the US occupation for intelligence purposes. No one should worry about any threat from Afghanistan.”
On April 18, 2025, Russia’s Supreme Court, at the request of the country’s Prosecutor General, ruled to suspend the ban on “Taliban” activities.
This decision has been in effect since April 20, 2025.
