Russia's Supreme Court removes Taliban from list of terrorist organizations

Russia's Supreme Court has decided to remove the Taliban from the country's register of terrorist organizations and suspend a ban on their activities there. The court handed down the decision on Thursday, reversing Russia's 2003 designation of the Taliban as a terrorist organization. The Taliban have been ruling Afghanistan since they retook power in August 2021. 

The Russian special presidential envoy for Afghanistan, spoke to his country's state-run Tass news agency. He said the court's decision removes legal obstacles to establishing full-fledged political and economic relations between the two nations.

The Taliban's foreign ministry said the minister expressed gratitude to the Russian government. It also quoted him as saying the decision marks significant progress in relations between Afghanistan and Russia. The minister added that the decision has done away with the last obstacle to greater political and economic cooperation between the two nations.