Russia's Kabulov Urges Cooperation to Resolve Taliban-Pakistan Tensions

MOSCOW (Afghan Verified) — Zamir Kabulov, Russia's special representative for Afghanistan, stated that tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan should be resolved through interaction and joint cooperation rather than military conflict.

In an interview with Russia Today on Monday, 17 Hamal, Kabulov said the disputes are rooted in Pakistan's accusations that the Taliban have not taken sufficient action against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Pakistan cited to justify recent airstrikes. He noted that terrorist groups are present in Afghanistan and that combating terrorism requires joint efforts.

Kabulov said Russia is ready to mediate between the Taliban and Pakistan if requested, but no such request has been made. He pointed to signs of de-escalation, including a halt in fighting during Eid al-Fitr, and described the tensions as local issues unrelated to Middle East developments involving Iran.

Kabulov reiterated Moscow's rejection of any U.S. or NATO military infrastructure in Afghanistan or neighboring countries, including a possible U.S. return to Bagram air base.

He highlighted ongoing political contacts between Russia and the Taliban, including several discussions between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Economically, the Taliban have expressed interest in Russian diesel and petrol supplies, and talks continue on allowing Afghan migrant workers into Russia, though no agreement has been reached.

Russia will continue developing relations with the Taliban based on legal frameworks and expand multilateral cooperation, Kabulov said.