Russia Recognized Taliban’s Apartheid Regime In Afghanistan

July 12, 2025
By
Eurasia Review
July 12, 2025

On July 3, Russia won itself the dubious distinction of becoming the world’s first nation to formally recognize the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.” The same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin had an hour-long conversation with President Donald Trump. Although both leaders talked about a range of issues, the Taliban regime or its formal recognition didn’t feature among the topics discussed. Apparently, the Russian president thought it too insignificant an issue t0 interest President Trump. Russia, however, waited four long years to give the Taliban de jure recognition. The Taliban had the entire world united against them since they seized Kabul at gunpoint on August 15, 2021.

The Taliban desperately wanted to fracture the world’s coalition of the willing, which refused to recognize them as a legitimate national authority. Since 2021, no nation—rich or poor, large or small, progressive or conservative—found them worthy of governing Afghanistan. The global rationale behind this assessment was the Taliban’s draconian restrictions banning girls and women from getting an education and employment. In their zest to enforce this ban, the Taliban literally locked up Afghan women behind the walls of their homes. For more than half of its inhabitants, Afghanistan has become a prison like Alcatraz, where women cannot step outside their homes unchaperoned by male guardians. The Taliban have even enforced a law to ban women’s voices from being heard in public, because they believe that feminine speech is too erotic for young Muslim men.

The Taliban defend this misogyny in the name of Islamic Shariat and Afghan (Pashtun) culture. In projecting what the United Nations calls gender apartheid onto Islam and thousands of years of Afghan heritage, the Taliban darkly stain both. That’s why none of the 57 members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has indulged them with the long-sought national recognition. Russia is not a Muslim-majority country, but 20 percent of its population is Muslim, while its Muslim-majority republics now number seven, including Chechnya. Moscow has become “Europe’s largest Muslim city.”

President Putin often presents himself as an outspoken defender of Islamic icons. When the burning of Qurans was on the rise in Europe, Putin criminalized desecration of the Quran in all of Russia through a legislative measure. He rebuilt Grozny, the capital city of Chechnya, which was razed to the ground in a war with Moscow, and topped its skyline with what was billed Europe’s biggest mosque. In a meeting with the visiting Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain in 2016, Putin told him: “We are all Muslims” (not in the confessional sense, but as the victims of oppression). Since their seizure of Kabul in 2021, the Taliban have been playing to Putin’s Muslim-friendly inclinations to soften his view of their purging of the female gender from Afghan public spaces.

In this endeavor, they were greatly helped by former Taliban commanders and soldiers who defected from the Taliban movement to join a more virulent version that has become the Taliban’s sworn enemy, namely Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K). IS-K’s terrorist violence has shaken a region that spans south, central and west Asia, and extends to Eurasia. IS-K’s massacre at a concert in Moscow in 2024, in which 133 people were killed, forced Putin to reassess Afghanistan through the prism of terror. As IS-K has its bases in Afghanistan, it was ostensibly only natural for Putin to upgrade Russia’s relations with Afghanistan to blunt the gathering threat of IS-K’s violence.

The strength of the Taliban’s rivals, especially IS-K and Tehrik-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan (TTP), can be gauged from the Taliban’s aversion to ever naming or condemning them for their atrocities. These militant outfits commit trans-border violence not just in Russia, but in Iran, Pakistan and the neighboring Central Asian Republics. Yet the Taliban are helpless to rein them in. As the wide swath of IS-K and TTP’s ranks are filled with former members of the Taliban movement, the leaders of the latter are kept up late at night because these defectors are former insiders who know their way around the Taliban.

Russia was already treating Taliban authorities as de facto rulers. While the rest of the world had abandoned Kabul since 2021, Moscow kept its embassy open and fully staffed at the highest level. In April this year, Russia even dropped the terrorist group designation for the Taliban, which it had enforced for two decades. By denying the Taliban regime the legitimacy of formal recognition, Moscow was in alignment with the rest of the world, and yet it was still benefiting from full diplomatic relations with Kabul.

Moscow seems most interested, with this recognition of the Taliban, in dissing the rest of the world, especially the West. In the West, any passion for human rights or women rights has already cooled. The State Department has shuttered its human rights offices at home and abroad. So, human rights diplomacy or the use of what Joseph Nye termed soft power to achieve moral advantage in international relations has slid way down in U.S. priorities. This is certainly good news for the Taliban. Yet President Trump is far from recognizing their regime any time soon, despite Trump’s interest in reclaiming Afghanistan’s largest air base at Bagram, which Americans built.

Splits in the Taliban’s ranks are now coming into the open. Dissidents like Abbas Stanikzai, who was initially presented as the Taliban’s favorite choice for prime minister and is still deputy minister for foreign affairs, earlier this year exiled himself to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He feared for his life because of his public advocacy for girls and women’s education and employment. The UAE is also home to Afghanistan’s former President Ashraf Ghani who immediately preceded the Taliban.

An even more lethal divide has opened up between the supreme leader of the Taliban and his potent rivals in the Haqqani Network. The Network’s leader Sirajuddin Haqqani, like Stanikzai, took a public stance in favor of girls and women’s education, and reprimanded the Taliban’s orthodox leadership for misinterpreting the faith. Early this year, Haqqani who is minister for the interior has absented himself from Kabul for months on an overseas trip to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where he has been reportedly lobbying for a planned parting of the ways with the misogynist Taliban leadership. He made similar but even stronger overtures to the United States, which recently lifted a $10 million bounty on his head. The New York Times described him as Afghanistan’s best hope for change.

Russia’s formal recognition of the Taliban regime may not go far enough to save the Taliban from collapsing under the weight of an ugly power struggle or their inhumane policies. Some nations may find it tempting follow Russia’s lead—for instance, Pakistan or India—but they will likely find their move stalled by progressive opposition within their own societies. Even if they remain an exception, Russia is nevertheless contributing to the orphaning of human rights and the undermining of the international order.

Tarique Niazi teaches environmental sociology at the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire.

Russia Recognized Taliban’s Apartheid Regime In Afghanistan
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Up to 30,000 Afghans Return Daily from Iran, Say Officials

July 11, 2025
TOLOnews
TV Network
11 June 202225

Some of the returnees, referring to the difficult living conditions in Iran, expressed happiness about returning to their homeland.

Government officials say that in order to address the challenges faced by these returnees, facilities have been established at the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat.

The Deputy Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, who visited Islam Qala, has called on the private sector and the general public to actively participate in providing food, water, and assistance in transporting the returnees to various provinces.

Hamdullah Fitrat, Deputy Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, stated:“My call to all citizens, traders, and wealthy individuals is to come forward and join the Islamic Emirate in showing solidarity and compassion with these people.”

According to figures from Herat’s local authorities, around half a million Afghan migrants have returned to the country through Islam Qala border in the past 20 days.

Abdul Ghani Kamil, the head of committees at Islam Qala and the district governor of Kohsan, also said: “Based on what we have seen over the past 15 to 20 days, nearly 500,000 migrants have likely returned, as around 30,000 people enter the country every day.”

Some of the returnees, referring to the difficult living conditions in Iran, expressed happiness about returning to their homeland.

They called on the caretaker government to provide them with employment opportunities.

Ahmad Zia, a returnee from Iran, said: “We no longer intend to go to foreign countries. Even if we eat only a piece of bread, we want to live in our own country with dignity and honor.”

Another returnee from Iran, Matiullah, also stated: “If these youth are provided with jobs, none of them will leave the country. They will work in their homeland and stay where they belong.”

According to local officials in Herat, between 20,000 to 25,000 people return daily through the Islam Qala border.

Figures from the caretaker government indicate that, in addition to Islam Qala, more than 4,000 Afghan migrants return to the country daily via the Silk Bridge in Nimroz, Spin Boldak in Kandahar, and Torkham in Nangarhar, from both Iran and Pakistan.

Up to 30,000 Afghans Return Daily from Iran, Say Officials
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WHO warns of rising infectious diseases among deported Afghan migrants

July 11, 2025

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

 

WHO warns of rising infectious diseases among deported Afghan migrants, citing poor sanitary conditions and urgent need for expanded medical support.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about the growing spread of infectious diseases and poor sanitary conditions among Afghan migrants deported from neighboring countries. WHO reports a surge in respiratory infections, diarrhea, skin conditions like scabies, and suspected COVID-19 cases among returnees.

On-the-ground assessments at key border points—particularly Islam Qala in Herat Province—show that upper respiratory infections are the most common ailments, followed closely by diarrhea and dehydration, especially among children and the elderly. Suspected cases of scabies and COVID-19 have also been reported.

In response, WHO has launched emergency health screenings and mass vaccination campaigns in collaboration with local health authorities at Islam Qala and Spin Boldak border crossings. These initiatives aim to prevent further outbreaks and provide critical care to vulnerable populations.

According to WHO, over 8,700 children received oral polio vaccines, and more than 8,300 individuals received injectable polio vaccines at the Islam Qala crossing alone. Thousands of returnee children have also been vaccinated against measles in high-risk border areas.

In total, nearly 29,000 people have been screened or vaccinated at major border points including Spin Boldak, Torkham, and Islam Qala. WHO mobile health teams are stationed at reception centers and zero-point borders, conducting daily health checks on hundreds of returnees.

In just a short monitoring period, WHO identified more than 840 individuals showing symptoms of infectious disease, all of whom received immediate medical care. The organization emphasized the urgency of increasing medical resources and staff capacity to deal with rising health risks.

As the number of deported Afghan migrants continues to grow, WHO stresses that expanded funding and coordinated efforts are urgently needed to prevent large-scale disease outbreaks and provide adequate care for returnees in crisis.

WHO warns of rising infectious diseases among deported Afghan migrants
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UN warns: New Media Restrictions in Afghanistan fuel fear and self-censorship

July 11, 2025

By Fidel Rahmati

Khaama Press

 

UN warns that new media restrictions in Afghanistan are fueling widespread fear, tightening control, and significantly increasing self-censorship among journalists.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has expressed serious concern over a new media directive issued by the Taliban. The agency warned that the policy, which requires pre-approval of political programs and guests by the Taliban government, will increase fear and self-censorship among Afghanistan media outlets.

UNAMA’s statement, released on Thursday, July 10, 2025, on X, said the new guidelines formalize previous restrictive actions and further erode press freedom in the country. The move follows a pattern of escalating media censorship since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has circulated a four-page document titled “Policy for Holding Political Programs (Roundtables) in Afghanistan” to local media. This directive obliges outlets to submit all political content to the ministry before broadcasting. Participants in such programs must receive prior approval and ID cards from the Taliban.

According to the document, political programming must align with the “Islamic Emirate’s policies.” Any criticism of the Taliban or deviation from “national unity and values” could result in harsh penalties, including the suspension of media licenses.

The ministry has further instructed media to criticize Taliban officials only in a “respectful manner” and within what it describes as the framework of Islamic law. Analysts view these instructions as a veiled threat to independent journalism.

Since reclaiming power, the Taliban have dramatically restricted press freedom, silenced dissent, and jailed or intimidated journalists. Their new media policy institutionalizes these crackdowns by placing direct editorial control under government scrutiny.

These developments have contributed to Afghanistan’s plummet in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), where it ranks 175th out of 180 countries with just 17.88 points—a stark drop compared to previous years.

The international community, including media watchdogs and human rights groups, has called on the Taliban to reverse these draconian measures. Without urgent action, Afghanistan risks becoming one of the most repressive environments in the world for free expression and independent journalism.

UN warns: New Media Restrictions in Afghanistan fuel fear and self-censorship
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Japanese Ambassador Urges Reopening Schools for Afghan Girls

July 11, 2025
TOLOnews
TV Network
10 July 2025
Meanwhile, girls who turned to private institutes after universities were closed are now demanding the reopening of schools and universities.
Takayoshi Kuromaya, the Japanese ambassador in Kabul, has called on the caretaker government to reopen the doors of education for girls.

Speaking at an event marking Japan’s support for Afghanistan’s healthcare sector, he emphasized that the lack of access to medical education for women poses a serious threat to the country’s healthcare system.

Takayoshi Kuromaya said: “I respectfully urge the de facto authorities to consider allowing girls to return to school, especially in areas such as medicine, nursing, and public health. This is not just a matter of individual opportunity, it is crucial for national health and well-being. Supporting girls’ education strengthens the entire society. It builds a healthier, more resilient Afghanistan.”

Meanwhile, girls who turned to private institutes after universities were closed are now demanding the reopening of schools and universities.

Tahmina and Marsal, two of these students, said that although university doors were closed to them, they have continued their educational paths with hope and determination.

Tahmina, a midwifery student, said: “We went through the Kankor exam with all its difficulties. We studied for a year, but then our university was shut down, which brought us a lot of depression. Still, we tried and went to private institutes, but they were closed to us as well.”

Marsal, also a midwifery student, said: “My request from the Islamic Emirate is this: we followed all your instructions we wore hijab, we wore burqas. Now we ask that the doors of schools and universities be reopened to girls so they can pursue their dreams.”

These students stress that access to education in medical fields is crucial not only for their future, but also for the health of society—especially for women and children in remote areas.

Women’s rights activists, emphasizing the need for female education, say that the continuation of these restrictions is alarming and that denying girls access to education will have long-term consequences for society.

Tafsir Siyahposh, a women’s rights activist, said: “Education is the most vital need in Afghan society today. If the mothers of tomorrow are uneducated, how can we claim to have a bright future for our beloved country, Afghanistan? Today, it is essential that the doors of schools and universities be reopened and that these growing restrictions be reduced.”

Although the Islamic Emirate has recently made no statements about reopening educational institutions for girls, it has consistently maintained that the issue is a domestic matter and has asked countries and international organizations not to interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.

Japanese Ambassador Urges Reopening Schools for Afghan Girls
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Pakistani forces kill 8 militants from Afghanistan in Bajaur border

July 9, 2025

Hindustan Times

July 09, 2025
A child was injured in the crossfire. This operation comes after a deadly bombing in Khar that left five dead and 17 injured.

Pakistani security forces shot dead eight militants attempting to infiltrate into the country’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province from Afghanistan’s Kunar province, officials said on Wednesday.

Troops responded swiftly, engaging the group and eliminating all eight militants, the officials said.

A child was also injured in the crossfire. He was initially treated at Larkholozo Hospital and later shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Khar.

After the operation, surveillance and monitoring were further tightened across the border areas to prevent any future infiltration attempts.

Though the military’s media cell, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has yet to issue an official statement, local residents confirmed intense clashes in the area, which reportedly lasted for several hours.

Pakistani forces kill 8 militants from Afghanistan in Bajaur border
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Tajikistan orders Afghan Refugees to leave within 15 days

July 9, 2025
By Fidel Rahmati
Khaama Press
 

Tajikistan has given Afghan refugees just 15 days to leave the country, sparking fear among thousands who face forced deportation despite holding legal residency documents.

Tajikistan has reportedly launched a campaign to arrest and forcibly deport Afghan refugees, including many who possess valid residency permits. According to multiple sources, the Tajik government has issued a 15-day ultimatum for Afghan migrants to leave the country, triggering widespread fear and uncertainty among the refugee population.

Afghan refugees have reported that these deportations are taking place without regard for their legal status. Many individuals who hold official residency documents and permits are still being detained and sent back to Afghanistan by force, often without prior notice or legal recourse.

Currently, over 13,000 Afghan nationals reside in Tajikistan. A significant portion of them are awaiting decisions on immigration cases, particularly resettlement opportunities through countries like Canada. Forced deportation at this stage could derail their applications and place them in immediate danger.

A large number of these refugees are former civil servants, military personnel, or individuals associated with the previous Afghan government. After the fall of the Afghan republic in August 2021, many fled to neighboring countries like Tajikistan to escape potential retribution by the Taliban. With these forced returns, their safety is now once again under threat.
Reports indicate that Tajikistani authorities have intensified their efforts over the past week, arresting dozens of Afghan men daily. These detentions have been concentrated in areas such as Vahdat township and the Rudaki district in the capital, Dushanbe. Many individuals were taken from their workplaces without informing their families.

This crackdown in Tajikistan mirrors increasing pressures in other neighboring countries. Both Iran and Pakistan have ramped up deportations of Afghan refugees in recent months, expelling thousands each day under increasingly aggressive and punitive measures.

Human rights organizations and refugee advocates have voiced grave concerns about the fate of those forced to return. Numerous reports have documented cases of violence, intimidation, and even extrajudicial killings of returnees in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Former government workers and activists remain especially vulnerable.

Despite these well-documented threats, Tajikistan has joined Iran and Pakistan in pushing forward with mass deportations. Regional governments appear determined to reduce their refugee populations, even at the cost of endangering lives and violating international protection norms.

With few countries offering relocation or asylum options, Afghan refugees in Central and South Asia find themselves in an increasingly desperate situation. Many are now forced to choose between uncertain futures in host countries and the deadly risks of returning to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

Tajikistan orders Afghan Refugees to leave within 15 days
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China, Russia, Uzbekistan Call for Boosting Afghanistan’s Infrastructure

July 9, 2025
TOLOnews
9 July 2025

The Russian representative also underscored that a stable and prosperous Afghanistan is in the interest of all regional countries.

At the United Nations General Assembly, representatives from regional countries emphasized the importance of infrastructure projects and economic cooperation, urging a practical and non-political approach to supporting the Afghan people.

China’s envoy to the UN criticized the U.S. for freezing $7 billion of Afghanistan’s assets and called for the immediate return of these funds to the Afghan people. Geng Shuang stressed that Western strategies in Afghanistan have failed and that focus should now shift to economic development and regional cooperation.

The Chinese envoy stated: “We hope the international community will assess the situation in Afghanistan impartially, realistically, and comprehensively, and will play a constructive role in reintegrating the country into the global economic system, ensuring its stability, and improving the lives of its people.”

The Russian representative also underscored that a stable and prosperous Afghanistan is in the interest of all regional countries. She stressed the need for collective efforts to promote national reconciliation and economic reconstruction.

Anna Evstigneeva, Deputy Representative of Russia to the UN, said: “What has been neglected for years is the urgent lifting of unilateral and unprecedented sanctions and the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets. These funds are vital for the country’s reconstruction and economic progress — for building roads, schools, and hospitals.”

Uzbekistan’s envoy highlighted the importance of major projects in Afghanistan, such as infrastructure development, improved transportation, stronger agriculture, and better water management. He stressed the need for increased investment and effort in these areas.

Ulugʻbek Lapasov, Uzbekistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, stated: Despite the difficult economic situation since August 2021, the current Afghan government has managed to improve the situation and establish internal and external economic processes. The issues of security combating drug trafficking have improved and the trade with the neighboring and regional countries has grown.

Despite disagreements over how to engage with the Islamic Emirate, there is a broad consensus that economic development and regional connectivity can significantly contribute to Afghanistan’s stability.

China, Russia, Uzbekistan Call for Boosting Afghanistan’s Infrastructure
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Islamic Emirate Rejects ICC Arrest Warrants, Cites Double Standards

July 9, 2025
Bibi Amina Hakimi
TOLOnews’ Reporter
9 July 2025

The United Nations, in connection with the ICC’s arrest warrants, stated that it respects the court’s operational independence.

Following the issuance of arrest warrants for the leader of the Islamic Emirate, Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, by the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Islamic Emirate’s spokesperson declared that they do not recognize this court.

Zabihullah Mujahid stressed that such announcements do not affect the firm resolve and Sharia-based stance of the Islamic Emirate. According to him, the ICC remains silent in the face of “clear crimes by Israel in Gaza” but acts against those implementing Islamic Sharia in Afghanistan.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, stated: “We do not recognize any institution named the International Court, nor are we bound by it. While the Zionist regime of Israel and its foreign supporters are committing genocide in Gaza, Palestine, and hundreds of women and children are being killed daily under the ICC’s watch, chanting human rights and justice by this court is a shame.”

Yesterday (Tuesday, July 8), the ICC again accused the leader of the Islamic Emirate and the Chief Justice of committing “crimes against humanity” and called for their arrest.

The United Nations, in connection with the ICC’s arrest warrants, stated that it respects the court’s operational independence.

Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said: “As you know and as I’ve said many times before, the ICC is independent from the Secretary General. We respect their work, we respect their independence, and we call on all other countries in fact, to respect their work. As for Afghanistan, as you know, we have been very vocal, both from the political standpoint, our human rights colleagues, on the repeated and constant violations of the human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.”

“Let the UN give Afghanistan a permanent seat at the Security Council, and let all countries recognize Afghanistan; then we can appoint lawyers to respond to those who issue arrest warrants, and let the court proceed to determine who wins and who loses,” said Kamran Aman, a political analyst.

Some political analysts believe internal issues should be resolved through dialogue and that such decisions are ineffective.

“The UN, the US, and their allies are imposing restrictions on Afghanistan; this is not a solution. If they want to reach a settlement with the Islamic Emirate and ensure no threat to the world or the Afghan people, they should engage and resolve matters through dialogue,” said Gul Mohammaduddin Mohammadi, another political analyst.

Four months ago, the ICC had also issued arrest warrants for the leader and Chief Justice of the Islamic Emirate, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called unfair, a double standard, and a political move.

Islamic Emirate Rejects ICC Arrest Warrants, Cites Double Standards
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Trump Calls Afghanistan Withdrawal US History’s ‘Most Embarrassing Moment’

July 9, 2025
TOLOnews
TV Network
9 July 2025

Trump claimed that the base is now under China’s control, a claim previously dismissed as baseless by Afghanistan’s caretaker government.

US President Donald Trump once again harshly criticized the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan during a cabinet meeting, calling it “the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country.”

Trump questioned the performance of military commanders, particularly Mark Milley, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pointing to the abandonment of military equipment and the loss of Bagram Airbase.

Trump criticized: “They left all that equipment behind and every year they have a parade down from street with the equipment. With all that equipment that they left, they should have taken every ounce of it. Every screw, every bolt, every nail you take out of there. And Millie said, I remember one time, so we’re better off leaving the equipment. Why? It’s cheaper to leave $150 million airplane rather than flying it into Pakistan or India or some place. Yes, sir. That’s when I knew he was not an idiot. Didn’t take long to figure that one out. They left their dignity behind. It was the most embarrassing moment in my opinion in the history of my country.”

The US president further recalled Bagram Airbase, saying that it held strategic importance for Washington due to its proximity to China’s nuclear weapons production centers.

Trump claimed that the base is now under China’s control a claim previously dismissed as baseless by Afghanistan’s caretaker government.

Trump said: “We had Afghanistan, which I think was the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country, and we would have gotten out. I was the one that got him down. I would have kept Bagram, the big air base, which right now is controlled by China. Among the most powerful runways in the world. Thick, thick with concrete and seal. Anything could land. And right now, they were one hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.”

However, experts say the US should reconsider its military presence in Afghanistan, as Afghans will not allow it.

“Although the US is a superpower and influences some Islamic countries, especially Arab ones, it is mistaken in this matter Afghans will never tolerate foreign military presence on their soil. They must reconsider this,” said Yousuf Amin Zazai, a military analyst.

Trump’s harsh remarks on Afghanistan come as, over seven months into his second term as president, he has yet to announce any official or clear policy regarding Afghanistan.

Trump Calls Afghanistan Withdrawal US History’s ‘Most Embarrassing Moment’
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