Representatives from the Taliban, labeled a terrorist organization, will once again visit Russia as part of a delegation to the "Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum" economic forum. The forum will include Afghanistan's Minister of Civil Aviation and Transport and the Minister of Industry and Trade, as well as "around a hundred business community representatives." All are members of the government formed by the Taliban after seizing Kabul and gaining full control over Afghanistan. The delegation will include:

- Afghanistan's Minister of Civil Aviation and Transport, Hamidulla Akhundzada;

- Minister of Industry and Trade, Nureddin Azizi;

- Head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce, Mohammad Yousuf Momand;

- President of the Industrialists and Mines Association, Shir Baz Kaminzada;

- President of Parwiz Ghafari Construction, Mohammad Parviz Ghafari, and head of the Russian Business Center in Afghanistan;

- Director-General of the Russian Muslim's Patriotic Charitable Foundation, Rustam Habibulin.

Tatarstan media, unlike last year, now refrain from referring to the visitors as 'Taliban' or representatives of the 'Taliban,' given that the organization has been banned in the Russian Federation as a terror group since 2003 and remains on the register. This terminology is also sidestepped by state news agency RIA "Novosti." It seems that while authorities have not removed them from the list, they have prohibited media from mentioning the delegates' affiliation with it. However, TASS in one report did mention that a delegation of the "Taliban movement" was invited to the forum.

Event releases state that "for the first time, Afghan entrepreneurs will participate in the Kazan Halal Market international trade fair, where they will introduce visitors to Afghan goods, including hand-embroidered carpets, precious jewelry from the provinces of Panjshir, Takhar, and Badakhshan, dried fruits, and traditional Afghan handicrafts."

"The participants of the panel discussion will share perspectives on prospects for further development of business and trade relations between Russia and Afghanistan," according to a media-published release.

In August 2021, the Taliban militants captured the Afghan capital, Kabul. The Taliban enforces Sharia law across its territories, with adherence considered mandatory. Prohibitions include television, music and musical instruments, figurative art, alcohol, computers and chess, white footwear (white is the color of the Taliban flag), and any open discussion of sex, among other things. Since the Taliban took power, the situation for women in the country has reportedly worsened.

The Taliban abolished the Ministry of Women's Affairs and also banned transporting women without hijabs in vehicles. In early January, the Taliban forbade women from attending public baths in the country's northern provinces and barred them from university entrance exams.

Later in 2021, after taking over the country, the Taliban invited Moscow to participate in the reconstruction of the Afghan economy, including raw materials, transport, and energy projects. The Russian ambassador to Kabul, Dmitry Zhirnov, stated at the time that the Russian embassy had "close interaction" with the Taliban. "Embassies that trust their eyes, not Western media, do not leave," he said. According to Zhirnov, the change of power in Kabul had brought more order and eliminated "hooligans and drug addicts." Regarding the militants, he referred to them as "adequate guys."

  Taliban, Russia

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