Russia’s Supreme Court to decide following month on removing the Taliban from its record of banned “terrorist” agencies, state media firms reported Monday.
The decision, expected on April 17, follows a demand from the attorney general’s business and is likely to raise the title.
Despite the Taliban’s classification as a criminal group since 2003, Moscow has maintained diplomatic relationship, particularly after the party seized power in Afghanistan following the US departure in 2021.
President Vladimir Putin signed policy in December enabling authorities to revoke for classifications if an institution is deemed to possess ceased criminal activities.
The estimated selection may not equate to official recognition of the Taliban state, which no state has yet granted. But, Moscow has deepened its relations with the team, inviting Taliban members for debate even before their return to power.
Putin previously described the Taliban as “allies” in combating violence, citing their power over Afghanistan and interest in maintaining security.
The Taliban has been engaged in a protracted conflict with the Islamic State Khorasan ( IS-K), which claimed responsibility for the fatal March 2024 strike on a Moscow concert hall that left over 140 dead—the worst such incident in Russia in nearly two decades.
