
Taliban: Russia's ‘Objective Allies' in its Fight Against the Islamic State
Emphasizing the Taliban's role against the Islamic State, he said, 'The Taliban is fighting the Islamic State uncompromisingly and harshly.' Kabulov's remarks demonstrate the shift in Russia's policy toward the Taliban.
This policy shift was further affirmed on July 3 when Russia became the first country to recognize the Taliban government in Afghanistan.
Moscow has accepted the credentials of a new ambassador of Afghanistan as part of a strategic shift in its Taliban policy to build friendly relations with Afghanistan's Taliban regime, which has been the de facto ruler of the country since the withdrawal of U.S. forces in August 2021. Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that 'We believe that the act of official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields.'
Such a bold move from Moscow has not come suddenly. Over the past few months, Russia has been gradually moving toward this end. In December 2024, Russia adopted a law to establish the possibility of delisting any organization from the list of terrorist organizations. In March, Russia's Prosecutor General submitted a petition to the Supreme Court to remove the Taliban from the terrorist designated list. That request was approved in mid-April.
Russia's paradigm shift toward the Taliban must be seen from the security perspective, mainly vis-à-vis the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) — an affiliate of the Islamic State, which is active in South and Central Asia, primarily in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and to a certain extent in Pakistan.
In March 2024, the Crocus City Hall music venue near Moscow was attacked by four armed terrorists, resulting in over 150 fatalities and more than 100 injuries. The incident marked the deadliest terrorist attack in Russia in the past two decades. Russian President Vladimir Putin called it 'a barbaric terrorist act.' While the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, ISKP proclaimed it also without directly claiming responsibility. ISKP is widely believed to have orchestrated the attack, allegedly carried out by citizens of Tajikistan.
Russia is a significant target for the Islamic State, and its affiliates, for several reasons, primarily due to the group's deep animosity toward the country. Many Islamic State jihadists harbor resentment against Russia for its involvement in the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the subsequent decade-long occupation. Additionally, Russia's two wars in Chechnya, which occurred in 1994 and 2000, plausibly further fueled anger among jihadists of the Islamic State.
Currently, the heightened hostility toward Moscow is likely a result of Russia's active role against the Islamic State in support of the Syrian regime. With the assistance of Russian airpower, the Assad regime was able to recapture the city of Palmyra in 2017, which had been seized by Islamic State forces. Furthermore, Russia has been actively supporting groups in the Sahel to combat terrorist organizations, including Islamic State affiliates in the region.
Despite these efforts to mitigate the threat posed by the Islamic State, Russia has not been able to eliminate the danger. Just days before the Crocus City Hall incident, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) stated that it had killed Islamic State militants who were allegedly planning a terrorist attack on a synagogue in Moscow. However, the FSB failed to identify or forestall the Crocus City Hall attack, despite warnings from the United States.
There is substantial evidence indicating that ISKP was responsible for the attack. The group maintains an active presence in Afghanistan, and since the Taliban's takeover of Kabul four years ago, its operations have significantly increased. Due to a lack of international cooperation in combating this terrorist organization, the responsibility for fighting ISKP has largely fallen on the Taliban, which views the group as a direct threat to its regime. ISKP has directed much of its hostility toward the Taliban, in turn, prompting the latter to adopt a forceful strategy against it. The Taliban has reportedly succeeded in infiltrating ISKP by targeting its operatives within the country. However, despite these efforts, the Taliban has been unable to prevent the group from attacking other countries, primarily due to its limited counterterrorism capabilities and the various political and economic crises facing Afghanistan since the regime's takeover. Therefore, Russia's support for the Taliban in their fight against ISKP could enhance their capabilities in combating the group.
The growing engagement between the Taliban and Russia can be viewed as a practical partnership. Russia seeks allies to aid in its fight against the Islamic State, with Putin labeling the Taliban as 'allies in the fight against terrorism' in July 2024. On the other hand, the Taliban requires support to sustain their regime in Afghanistan while combating their most significant internal threat, ISKP. In addition to collaborating against a common enemy, Russia's recognition of the Taliban government, which could plausibly lead to other countries following suit, serves as a significant diplomatic boost for the regime. Russia was once an adversary of the Taliban, backing the Northern Alliance, which opposed the Taliban from 1996 to 2001.
However, the Taliban are notorious for not acting against terrorist groups using Afghan soil to attack other countries. Nonetheless, the threat posed by ISKP to their regime provides the Taliban with a compelling reason to combat this particular terrorist group. Russian support could enhance the Taliban's counterterrorism capabilities. It remains to be seen how and when Russia will begin providing support, including weapons, to the Taliban in their fight against the Islamic State, particularly its affiliate, ISKP.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Yomiuri Shimbun
an hour ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
European Court Finds Russia Committed Violations in Ukraine and Was behind Downing Flight Mh17
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Europe's top human rights court delivered damning judgments Wednesday against Russia in four cases brought by Kyiv and the Netherlands accusing Moscow of atrocities in Ukraine dating back more than a decade. Judges at the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia was responsible for widespread violations of international law — from shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014, to the murder, torture, rape, destruction of civilian infrastructure and kidnapping of Ukrainian children after Moscow's full-scale invasion of 2022. Reading the decisions in a packed courtroom in Strasbourg, Court President Mattias Guyomar said Russian forces breached international humanitarian law in Ukraine by carrying out attacks that 'killed and wounded thousands of civilians and created fear and terror.' The Kremlin said it would ignore the largely symbolic judgment, but Ukraine hailed it as 'historic and unprecedented,' saying it was an 'undeniable victory' for the embattled country. The judges found the human rights abuses went beyond any military objective and that Russia used sexual violence as part of a strategy to break Ukrainian morale, the French judge said. 'The use of rape as a weapon of war was an act of extreme atrocity that amounted to torture,' Guyomar said. The 501-page judgment noted that Russia's refusal to participate in the proceedings also was a violation of European Convention of Human Rights, the treaty that underpins the court. Asked about the judgment before the rulings were read, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'We won't abide by it, we consider it void.' Families of the victims of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 disaster saw the decision as an important milestone in their 11-year quest for justice. Thomas Schansman, whose 18-year-old son, Quinn, was aboard the jetliner, told The Associated Press that the judgment makes clear who caused the disaster. Russia 'is responsible for killing my son,' Schansman said. The Boeing 777 flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, using a Russian-made Buk missile fired from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by separatist rebels loyal to Moscow. All 298 passengers and crew were killed, including 196 Dutch citizens. The judges found that Russia's refusal to acknowledge its involvement in the Flight MH17 disaster also violated international law. Russia's failure to properly investigate 'significantly aggravated the suffering' of the relatives and friends of the dead. 'Russia never took any opportunity to tell the truth,' Schansman said. In May, the U.N.'s aviation agency found Russia responsible for the disaster. The separatist conflict that broke out in eastern Ukraine in 2014 killed about 14,000 people before Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. The ECHR is an important part of the Council of Europe, which is the continent's foremost human rights institution. The court's governing body expelled Moscow in 2022 in response to the all-out invasion. However, the court can still deal with cases against Russia dating from before its expulsion and, legally, the country is still obliged to participate in the proceedings. The court will rule on financial compensation at a later date but Russia's departure leaves little hope that damages will ever be collected. In 2023, the judges sided with Ukraine and the Netherlands in a challenge over jurisdiction, finding there was sufficient evidence to show that areas in eastern Ukraine controlled by separatist rebels were 'under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation.' That included providing weapons, and giving political and economic support. Wednesday's rulings won't be the last from the EHCR dealing with the war. Kyiv has other cases pending against Russia and there are nearly 10,000 cases brought by individuals against the Kremlin. The decisions in Strasbourg are separate from a criminal prosecution in the Netherlands in which two Russians and a Ukrainian rebel were convicted in absentia of multiple murders for their roles in the downing of Flight MH17. In 2022, the United Nations' top court ordered Russia to stop military operations in Ukraine while a case is heard, a process that takes years. Russia has flouted the order by the International Court of Justice. Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy formally approved plans to set up a new international court to prosecute senior Russian officials for the invasion.


Yomiuri Shimbun
an hour ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Russia Batters Ukraine with More Than 700 Drones, the Largest Barrage of the War, Officials Say
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia fired more than 700 attack and decoy drones at Ukraine overnight, topping previous nightly barrages for the third time in two weeks as Moscow intensifies its aerial and ground assault in the three-year war, Ukrainian officials said Wednesday. Russia has recently sought to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses by launching major attacks that include increasing numbers of decoy drones. The most recent one appeared aimed at disrupting Ukraine's vital supply of Western weapons. Lutsk, a city that's home to airfields used by the Ukrainian army, was the hardest hit, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It lies near the border with Poland in western Ukraine, a region that is a crucial hub for receiving foreign military aid. The attack comes at a time of increased uncertainty over the supply of crucial American weapons and as U.S.-led peace efforts have stalled. Zelenskyy said that the Kremlin was 'making a point' with its barrage. The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces took aim at Ukrainian air bases and that 'all the designated targets have been hit.' Meanwhile, Ukraine fired drones into Russia overnight, killing three people in the Kursk border region, including a 5-year-old boy, the local governor said. The Russian attack, which included 728 drones and 13 missiles, had the largest number of drones fired in a single night in the war. On Friday, Russia fired 550 drones, less than a week after it launched 477, both the largest at the time, officials said. Beyond Lutsk, 10 regions were struck. One person was killed in the Khmelnytskyi region, and two wounded in the Kyiv region, officials said. Poland, a member of NATO, scrambled its fighter jets and put its armed forces on the highest level of alert in response to the attack, the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command wrote in an X post. Russia's bigger army has also launched a new drive to punch through parts of the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where short-handed Ukrainian forces are under heavy strain. Trump says the US must send more weapons to Ukraine U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was 'not happy' with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hasn't budged from his ceasefire and peace demands since Trump took office in January and began to push for a settlement. Trump said Monday that the U.S. would have to send more weapons to Ukraine, just days after Washington paused critical weapons deliveries to Kyiv. On Wednesday, the U.S. resumed deliveries of certain weapons, including 155 mm munitions and precision-guided rockets known as GMLRS, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity so they could provide details that hadn't been announced publicly. It's unclear exactly when the weapons started moving. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump 'has quite a tough style in terms of the phrasing he uses,' adding that Moscow hopes to 'continue our dialogue with Washington and our course aimed at repairing the badly damaged bilateral ties.' Zelenskyy, meanwhile, urged Ukraine's partners to impose stricter sanctions on Russian oil and those who help finance the Kremlin's war by buying it. 'Everyone who wants peace must act,' Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian leader met Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday during a visit to Italy ahead of an international conference on rebuilding Ukraine. Both Russia and Ukraine look to build more drones Ukraine's air defenses shot down 296 drones and seven missiles during the overnight attack, while 415 more drones were lost from radars or jammed, an air force statement said. Ukrainian interceptor drones, developed to counter the Shahed ones fired by Russia, are increasingly effective, Zelenskyy said, adding that domestic production of anti-aircraft drones is being scaled up in partnership with some Western countries. Western military analysts say Russia is also boosting its drone manufacturing and could soon be capable of launching 1,000 a night at Ukraine. 'Russia continues to expand its domestic drone production capacity amid the ever-growing role of tactical drones in front-line combat operations and Russia's increasingly large nightly long-range strike packages against Ukraine,' the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said late Tuesday. Ukraine has also built up its own offensive drone threat, reaching deep into Russia with some long-range strikes. Russia's Defense Ministry said Wednesday that air defenses downed 86 Ukrainian drones over six Russian regions overnight, including the Moscow region. Flights were temporarily suspended at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport and the international airport of Kaluga, south of Moscow. The governor of Russia's Kursk border region, Alexander Khinshtein, said a Ukrainian drone attack on the region's capital city just before midnight killed three people and wounded seven others, including the 5-year-old boy who died on the way to a hospital. Meanwhile, Europe's top human rights court ruled Wednesday that Russia had violated international law during the war in Ukraine, the first time an international court has found Moscow responsible for human rights abuses since the full-scale invasion in 2022. The court also ruled Russia was behind the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, the first time Moscow was named by an international court as being responsible for the 2014 tragedy that claimed 298 lives. Any decision is largely symbolic.

Nikkei Asia
2 hours ago
- Nikkei Asia
Rubio to meet Russia's Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur, US official says
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, a senior U.S. State Department official said. It would be the second in-person meeting between Rubio and Lavrov, and comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the war in Ukraine drags on. It would be the second in-person meeting The first meeting between the top diplomats took place in Saudi Arabia in February as part of the Trump administration's effort to re-establish bilateral relations and help negotiate an end to the war. Trump, who returned to power this year promising a swift end to the war that began in 2022, had taken a more conciliatory tone toward Moscow in a departure from predecessor Joe Biden's staunch support for Kyiv. But on Tuesday, a day after Trump approved sending U.S. defensive weapons to Ukraine, he aimed unusually direct criticism at Putin, saying the Kremlin leader's statements on moving towards peace were "meaningless". Trump has also said he was considering supporting a bill that would impose steep sanctions on Russia, including 500% tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports. When asked on Wednesday about Trump's criticism of Putin, the Kremlin said Moscow was "calm" regarding the criticism and that it would continue to try to fix a "broken" U.S.-Russia relationship. At a conference of Ukraine-friendly nations in Rome on Wednesday, Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in what Kyiv described as a "substantive" conversation. Russia targeted Ukraine with a record 728 drones early on Wednesday, the latest attack in a series of escalating air assaults in recent weeks that have involved hundreds of drones in addition to ballistic missiles, straining Ukrainian air defences at a perilous moment in the war. In his first visit to Asia since taking office, Rubio is in Kuala Lumpur to meet with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and with senior Malaysian government officials. The trip is part of an effort to renew U.S. focus on the Indo-Pacific and look beyond the conflicts in the Middle East and Europe that have consumed much of the Trump administration's attention, with Rubio balancing dual responsibilities as secretary of state and national security adviser.