Taliban Restoring Public Order, Russia Says at UN

The Russian representatives to the United Nations (UN) Security Council said on Monday that the exclusion of the Taliban from the terrorist lists depends on a council resolution.

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"It has been only ten days since the recent discussion of Afghanistan in the Security Council. However, the situation in the country has changed beyond recognition over that time. Today, all of our eyes are on Kabul, which yesterday was quickly abandoned by the country's leaders, ordinary Afghanis, and also a part of the diplomatic corps," the Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia said at the UN Security Council meeting.

"It is clear that such a sharp turnabout took everyone by surprise, including those who very recently made public pronouncements about the high degree of military preparedness of the Afghan law enforcement that has been prepared and trained over the past 20 years," the official recalled.

According to the Russian authorities, the Taliban has already started to restore the order. "According to our reports, the Taliban already started bringing public order and also confirmed security guarantees for civilians and staff of foreign diplomatic missions. We trust that the security of diplomatic personnel and the UN presence in Afghanistan will be ensured in the current situation, and their institutions will enjoy immunity. In these circumstances, the Russian Embassy in Kabul is continuing to operate normally," Nebenzia reported.