Official announcements from Western governments or international news agencies

Russia to Remove Taliban from Terrorist List at Highest Level, Urges Lifting of Sanctions

Oct 4, 2024, 11:02 AM

Russia has decided to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, a decision taken at the highest level according to multiple sources, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Alexander Bortnikov. This announcement was made during the sixth Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, which gathered representatives from several regional countries, including India, Pakistan, and Iran. Lavrov emphasized the importance of maintaining dialogue with the Taliban and called on Western nations to lift sanctions on Afghanistan and return its frozen assets. He criticized the West's policies, stating that they have left Afghanistan in a state of limbo. The move to delist the Taliban is seen as part of Russia's broader strategy to support Afghanistan in countering terrorism and stabilizing the region. The Taliban had been designated as a terrorist organization by Russia since 2003. Special Representative of the President for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov also confirmed the decision.