Putin signs law removing Taliban and HTS from list of terrorist organizations - ISW

Putin signs law removing Taliban and HTS from list of terrorist organizations - ISW

Kyiv  •  UNN

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Russia is creating a legal framework for removing the Taliban and HTS from the list of terrorist organizations. This should facilitate political and economic rapprochement with Afghanistan and secure Russian bases in Syria.

The Russian authorities continue to create a legal framework to remove the Taliban and the KTs from the list of prohibited terrorist organizations. The decision has several goals. This is reported by UNN , citing a report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Details

It is noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law that allows the removal of the Taliban and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham from the list of terrorist organizations.

The signed decree allows the Russian government to remove organizations from the list of terrorist organizations. In particular, this includes the Taliban, which rules Afghanistan, and HTS, which recently seized power in Syria. This step is seen as part of Russia's strategy to strengthen relations with these groups

- the report says.

According to Russian “military commanders,” such actions will facilitate political and economic rapprochement between Russia and the Taliban, including the opening of new trade routes through Afghanistan. The decree also creates opportunities for Russia to cooperate with the interim Syrian government led by the HTS. Analysts write that this will allow Russia to maintain military bases in Syria and ensure their security.

Key findings of the ISW report:

Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be trying to ease possible tensions in Russian-Azerbaijani and Russian-Kazakh relations after Russian air defense allegedly shot down an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane on December 25, leading to its crash in Kazakhstan.

Recently, Ukrainian troops struck a Russian facility for the storage, maintenance and repair of Shahed drones in Orel, Oryol region.

The Russian authorities continue to create a legal basis for removing the Taliban and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the official list of banned terrorist organizations.

Russian troops advanced near Kreminna, Siversk, Toretsk and Kurakhove.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced on December 28 that the Russian military has completed the fall conscription of 2024.

Recall

According to ISW, Russia continues to scale up production of Shahed drones ahead of its winter campaign against Ukraine in 2024-2025, despite sanctions and technical restrictions.