Russia Officially Recognizes Taliban Rule in Afghanistan

Russia has officially recognized the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, becoming the first country in the world to do so since the group's takeover of Kabul in August 2021, Orda.kz reports.

Following the recognition, the Afghan embassy in Moscow replaced the former national flag with the Taliban's white banner featuring Islamic inscriptions, marking a symbolic shift from the red-black-green tricolor of the former Republic of Afghanistan to the flag of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Kazakhstan, while not formally recognizing the Taliban, removed the group from its list of banned organizations in late 2023, with the decision taking effect in January 2024.

President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev explained Kazakhstan’s approach during a meeting with parliamentary leaders of CSTO member states, stating that the country's strategic goal is to engage Afghanistan in regional economic cooperation.

Original Author: Rustam Muratov