Kabul: According to Afghanistan's Taliban administration, Russia has become the first country to acknowledge its authority.
The announcement followed Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi meeting with Dmitry Zhirnov, the Russian ambassador to Afghanistan, in Kabul on Thursday.
This courageous decision will serve as a role model for others... Now that the recognition process has begun, Russia is ahead of all, Muttaqi said in a video posted on X.
According to Russia's foreign ministry, the formal acknowledgment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will encourage fruitful bilateral cooperation between the two nations in a number of sectors.
The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that it would assist Kabul in combating terrorism and drug trafficking, as well as increasing economic ties.
According to Mariam Solaimankhil, a former member of Afghanistan's parliament and Taliban opponent, the decision demonstrates that strategic interests will always take precedence over human rights and international law.
Afghanistan has experienced decades of instability, including a 20-year conflict led by the United States and other countries. This came to an end when the United States pulled its soldiers in 2021.
The Taliban seized control in 2021, dismantling the administration, and have since implemented harsh Islamic law.
Moscow had previously excluded the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations and welcomed an ambassador from their government.
In 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin described the Taliban as allies in the battle against terrorism.
They previously governed the nation from 1996 to 2001, when they were solely acknowledged by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Pakistan.
During this period, nations such as China and Pakistan hosted Taliban diplomats without formally recognising the Islamic Emirate, as the Taliban are officially known.
The Taliban government has cracked down on Afghans' civil liberties, particularly women and girls, for which it has received international criticism.
