# Russia’s Supreme Court has removed the Taliban’s designation as a terrorist organisation, a symbolic gesture aimed at building friendly ties with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers. The Islamist group seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021, when American forces supporting the country’s internationally recognised government pulled out. Moscow, which called the US withdrawal a “failure”, has taken steps to normalise relations with the Taliban authorities since then, seeing them as a potential economic partner and ally in fighting terrorism.
Russia removes Taliban’s designation as terrorist organisation