Russia Ready To Help Taliban Fight ISIS In Afghanistan

JAKARTA - Russia will assist Taliban authorities in Afghanistan against ISIS branches in the country, Moscow's special representative for the country said on Friday.

Zamir Kabulov, a former Russian ambassador to Afghanistan, called ISIS Khorasan (ISIS-K) a "joint enemy" of Moscow and Kabul.

"We see and appreciate the efforts made by the Taliban in the fight against the ISIS wing in Afghanistan," Kabulov told state news agency RIA.

"We will provide our best assistance to the authorities (Afghanistan) through a special structure," he said.

Kabulov's comments underscore the dramatic recovery of relations in recent years between Moscow and Kabul, which President Vladimir Putin said last year has now become Russia's "catty" in fighting terrorism.

It is known that currently no country recognizes the Taliban government seized power in August 2021 when US-led forces carried out a chaotic troop withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war.

However, as a move towards recognition, Russia last month officially removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, which it had added in 2003.

Russia was shaken by various attacks linked to ISIS, including the shooting of 145 people at a concert building outside Moscow in March 2024 claimed by ISIS. US officials say they have intelligence indicating ISIS-K is responsible.

The Taliban itself said it was trying to remove the existence of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan.

Kabulov said Moscow and Kabul were building relations in various fields and told RIA, with Russia having offered to accredit an Afghan ambassador in Moscow and awaiting Kabul's response.

He said Moscow's suspension of the ban on the Taliban "finally removed all obstacles to full cooperation between our two countries in various fields".

"The arrival of the Afghan Vesar Ambassador in Moscow will end this issue," he said.

Last month, Russia said its desire to strengthen trade, business and investment relations with Kabul, leveraging Afghanistan's strategic position for energy and infrastructure projects in the future.

Kabulov said a joint economic project would be discussed at Russia-Afghanistan's business forum later this month in Russia's Kazan City, citing mineral development projects and gas pipelines as possible areas of cooperation.