Russia to remove Taliban from terrorist list as IS threat rises

Why is Russia/former Soviet Union meddling for so many decades and so intensive in the affairs of Afghanistan?

Is Putin the Terrible becoming more erratic and desperate? Quite possible!

As a minimum, this only provokes other regional powers like Iran, Pakistan, and India.

"Russia has decided to remove Afghanistan's Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, a decision that comes months after an affiliate of a rival extremist organization, the Islamic State (IS), took credit for a mass shooting at a concert near Moscow.

With the quagmire in Ukraine dragging on and Russia eager to establish an anti-Western bloc, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday said the decision to remove the Taliban from the terrorist list had been made at the highest level. The final decision will be made public after parliamentary procedures are completed. ..."

Russia to remove Taliban from terrorist list as IS threat rises - Nikkei Asia "Moscow's move also comes as Putin seeks a counterbalance to the West"

Amir Khan Muttaqi, left, Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister, shakes hands with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Moscow on Oct. 4.