Russia has become the first country to formally recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan, sparking outrage from opposition figures.
The decision marks a major milestone for the Taliban almost four years after they swept into Kabul and took power.
Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said he hoped it would serve as an example to other countries, which have been reluctant to recognise a regime which implements a version of Sharia law along with severe restrictions on women and girls.
Others have decried the move, with former Afghan politician Fawzia Koofi saying “any move by any country to normalise relations with the Taliban will not bring peace it will legitimise impunity”.
Koofi went on to warn “such steps risk endangering not just the people of Afghanistan, but global security.”
Meanwhile, the Afghan Women’s Political Participation Network said it legitimised “a regime that is authoritarian, anti-women, and actively dismantling basic civil rights.”
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The Taliban government has previously said it respects women’s rights in accordance with their interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law.
But since 2021, girls over the age of 12 have been prevented from getting
education and women from many jobs. There have also been restrictions on how far a woman can travel without a male chaperone and decrees on them raising their voices in public.
Foreign Minister Muttaqi said Moscow’s recognition, which came on Thursday, was “a new phase of positive relations, mutual respect, and constructive engagement,” describing the decision as “courageous.
Source: BBC
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
