South Asia Times

Facebook X-twitter Youtube Instagram Tiktok Linkedin

Russia’s Supreme Court Suspends Taliban’s Terrorist Designation

Russia suspends terrorist designation of Taliban after 20 years, aiming to boost ties with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers. [Image via Reuters]

Russia’s Supreme Court has suspended its ban on the Taliban, which it had designated for more than 20 years as “a terrorist organisation”. The latest move is aimed at normalising ties with the de facto rulers of Afghanistan.

Thursday’s ruling – prompted by a request from the prosecutor general – is effective immediately, Judge Oleg Nefedov announced, according to Russia’s Tass news agency.

The move in favour of the group that seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 follows years of gradual rapprochement with Moscow, despite a turbulent history dating back to the Afghan Civil War of the 1990s.

More recently, shared security interests – including the fight against ISIL (ISIS)’s regional affiliate, ISKP – have drawn Russia and the Taliban closer.

Last year, President Vladimir Putin described the Taliban as an “ally” in counterterrorism efforts, while his envoy to Kabul announced plans to delist the group.

Also See: Russia’s Taliban Pivot: A Calculated Play or a Risky Gamble?

Moscow, which has hosted Taliban officials for several forums in recent years, is also looking to use Afghanistan as a transit hub for gas exports to Southeast Asia.

“Moscow will continue its course on developing political, trade and economic ties with Kabul,” Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in October last year.

Other Asian countries have also improved ties with the Taliban in recent years, though no state has moved to fully recognise it.

In 2023, Kazakhstan took the group, which has banned girls’ education and restricted women’s movement, off its list of “terrorist organisations”. Kyrgyzstan followed suit last year.

China, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran are among nations with embassies in Kabul, with Beijing becoming the first in 2023 to appoint an ambassador after the Taliban’s takeover.

This news is sourced from Al Jazeera and is intended for informational purposes only.

Picture of SAT Web Administrator

SAT Web Administrator

SAT Web Administrator

Recent

Beyond the Rhetoric: What Muttaqi’s Address Reveals About Afghan Policy

Beyond the Rhetoric: What Muttaqi’s Address Reveals About Afghan Policy

SAT Commentary December 3, 2025

Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s recent address sought to reframe Afghanistan’s strained ties with Pakistan through a narrative of victimhood and denial. From dismissing cross-border militancy to overstating economic resilience, his claims contradict on-ground realities and historical patterns. A closer examination reveals strategic deflection rather than accountability, with serious implications for regional peace and security.

Read More »
We Want Deliverance

We Want Deliverance

SAT Editorial Desk December 3, 2025

Political mobilization in South Asia is not rooted in policy or institutions but in a profound yearning for deliverance. From Modi’s civilizational aura in India to Imran Khan’s revolutionary moral narrative in Pakistan, voters seek not managers of the state but messianic figures who promise total transformation. This “Messiah Complex” fuels a cycle of charismatic rise, institutional erosion, and eventual democratic breakdown, a pattern embedded in the region’s political psychology and historical imagination.

Read More »
Pakistan-Only? The TTP’s Transnational Reality

Pakistan-Only? The TTP’s Transnational Reality

SAT Editorial Desk December 1, 2025

While the TTP publicly claims its insurgency targets only Pakistan, evidence reveals a transnational reality. Supported by Afghan fighters and resources, and shaped by the Afghan Taliban’s strategic interests, the TTP exemplifies cross-border proxy warfare. Understanding its structure, motivations, and operational networks challenges simplistic “Pakistan-only” narratives and underscores the enduring complexities of South Asian security.

Read More »
Pakistan’s Heritage and Rights Ethos: Unlocking Cultural Diplomacy

Pakistan’s Heritage and Rights Ethos: Unlocking Cultural Diplomacy

Muhammad Yousaf Ilyas December 1, 2025

Pakistan’s diverse cultural heritage, from the hospitality of Pashtunwali and Sufi music in Sindh to folk traditions in Punjab, Balochistan, and Gilgit–Baltistan, reflects an enduring rights-based ethos. These living practices promote dignity, justice, and social inclusion. By integrating these traditions into cultural diplomacy, Pakistan can showcase its soft power while supporting custodians of heritage, artisans, and local communities.

Read More »