The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation has lifted the ban on the activities of the Afghan Taliban movement, which was recognized as a terrorist organization more than twenty years ago.
The move was a diplomatic victory for the Taliban, which was listed as a terrorist group by Russia in 2003, making any contact with them punishable under Russian law.
However, Taliban delegations have attended various forums organized by Russia as Moscow seeks to establish itself as a regional power broker.
The court's decision on the request of the Prosecutor General's Office came after a law was passed last year that allows the suspension of official recognition of organizations as terrorist by a court decision.
The former Soviet Union fought a 10-year war in Afghanistan, ending with Moscow's withdrawal in 1989.
Recently, Russian authorities have emphasized the need for cooperation with the Taliban to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan.
In recent years, Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have removed the Taliban from their lists of terrorist organizations.
The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and NATO troops were completing their withdrawal from the country after two decades of conflict.
The Taliban initially promised more restrained governance compared to their first rule from 1996 to 2001, but soon after the 2021 coup, they began imposing restrictions on women and girls.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
