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Delisting Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate from banned groups ‘important’ for Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin last week called for Moscow to “build up” relations with the Islamic Emirate government;
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said last week Moscow planned to take the Islamic Emirate off its list of banned organizations
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) that work on the possible removal of the Islamic Emirate from Moscow’s terrorist list is based on the need for contact with Afghanistan.
Speaking to TASS she said some media has reacted “nervously to the fact that Russia maintains contacts with the Taliban (IEA) movement.”
“Apparently, those who write about these issues do not realize that the solution to such problems as the fight against drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime actually requires contacts. And it is in our interest to respond to changes pragmatically, in line with attitudes focused on national interests,” she said.
“Now the question, which is also of great interest to everyone, is when, how and in what form the decisions on the so-called delisting will be adopted or developed. This is interdepartmental work.
“It involves experts from different areas. But it is based on the basic principle of the need to solve the problems created or exacerbated by the Americans inside Afghanistan, and to which, of course, an answer must be given both inside Afghanistan and by the countries of the region, but also by all other countries of the world,” she said.
Moscow must build up relations with Islamic Emirate government – Vladimir Putin
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for Moscow to “build up” relations with the Islamic Emirate government.
Speaking to senior editors of foreign news agencies on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin said: “We have always believed that we need to deal with reality. The Taliban are in power in Afghanistan… We have to build up relations with the Taliban government.”
Putin’s comments also followed those of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who also said last week that Moscow planned to take the Islamic Emirate off its list of banned terrorist organizations.
“They are the real power” in Afghanistan, Lavrov said.
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Ariana Afghan Airlines has ranked seventh among 45 airlines in Central Asia in Skytrax’s 2026 rankings.
Company officials say Ariana Afghan ranked eighth on the list in 2025, but moved up one place this year following improvements in service quality and the expansion of its operations.
According to the officials, in 2026 the airline met criteria including service quality, flight safety, professional cabin crew, and experience in the aviation sector, placing it among the top 10 airlines in Central Asia.
Skytrax is an international organization that evaluates and ranks the quality of services in the aviation industry and airlines, assessing and ranking carriers annually based on specific criteria.
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Silk Road highway in Wakhan corridor now reaches the China border
The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.
The construction of the Silk Road Highway in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor has been fully completed after five years of work, officials in Badakhshan province said.
Amanullah Chehra, head of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in Badakhshan, said the 121.13-kilometre road begins in the Barghil area and stretches to Bzai Gonbad near the Chinese border.
According to officials, the road is between 7 and 10 metres wide and includes three major bridges, each measuring approximately 20 to 22 metres in length. Numerous smaller drainage structures have also been built along the route to facilitate the flow of water.
The road is expected to be officially opened for use in the near future, potentially improving connectivity through the remote Wakhan Corridor.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, met on Wednesday with Bruno Lemarquis, UNAMA’s Deputy Head for Humanitarian Affairs, to discuss the situation of Afghan returnees and humanitarian assistance.
The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said Lemarquis briefed the minister on assessments conducted by UN agencies during visits to several provinces to identify the needs of returnee families.
Lemarquis said joint cooperation between UN agencies and the Islamic Emirate is needed to support and resettle returnees. He added that UN agencies are currently assisting thousands of families and called for the expansion of humanitarian assistance.
He also said the international community should pay greater attention to the needs of Afghans, adding that UNAMA is ready to cooperate in addressing challenges facing returnees.
Abdul Kabir welcomed UNAMA’s support and thanked the United Nations for its assistance to Afghans. He said various government institutions have been tasked with addressing returnees’ needs.
The minister also called on aid organizations to continue supporting returnee families, saying a program to resettle thousands of internally displaced families is also underway.
Kabir further said the necessary facilities have been provided for UN agencies to operate and that the Islamic Emirate welcomes UNAMA’s humanitarian cooperation.
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