Kazakhstan Removed Taliban from Terrorist List

Kazakhstan has removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, a spokesperson for the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

The spokesperson, Abai Smadiyarov, said the decision was made in accordance with the United Nations’ approach to the Taliban in Afghanistan.

“Kazakhstan regularly reviews its national list of banned terrorist organizations in the Republic of Kazakhstan to update it,” Smadiyarov said. “As part of this process, it was decided that the Taliban should be removed from it, in accordance with the UN practice.”

The spokesperson clarified that the Taliban are not currently listed as a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council.

The Taliban Foreign Ministry also confirmed the news, citing the Kazakh ambassador to Kabul.

The decision is a significant shift in Kazakhstan’s policy towards the Taliban. The country had previously designated the Taliban as a terrorist organization in 2005.

The decision could be seen as a sign of Kazakhstan’s willingness to engage with the Taliban, which has been in control of Afghanistan since August 2021.

In recent months, Kazakhstan has taken several steps to normalize relations with the Taliban. In September, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry announced that it would accept Taliban diplomats at its embassy in Kabul.

The decision to remove the Taliban from Kazakhstan’s terrorist list is likely to be welcomed by the Taliban. The group has been seeking international recognition and legitimacy since taking control of Afghanistan.

It is unclear what impact the decision will have on other countries’ policies towards the Taliban. However, it is a sign that the Taliban is making progress in its efforts to gain international acceptance.