Russia security chief meets Taliban officials in Kabul

Top Russian security official Sergei Shoigu visited Afghan government officials on Monday.  Shoigu met an Afghan cohort in Kabul headed by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar.

Shoigu expressed Russia's interest in increasing the level of bilateral cooperation with Afghanistan," Baradar's office said in a statement. He also announced that, to expand political and economic relations between the two countries, the Islamic Emirate's name would soon be removed from Russia's blacklist."