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By Shivam Shekhawat and Rajoli Siddharth Jayaprakash

Since the terror attack at the Crocus city centre in Moscow, allegedly by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), in March 2024, Moscow has intensified efforts to prevent Afghanistans resurgence as a terror haven. One way of doing this, as Russian actions suggest is greater engagement with the Taliban.

Recently, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice sent aproposalto President Vladimir Putin to remove the group from the list of terror organisations where it has been listed since2003. Given that India and Russia cooperate on terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, it is important to understand the new developments in Afghanistan and India-Russia cooperation on counterterrorism.

Russias decision to remove the Taliban from its terror list, while not sudden, is viewed as alimited risk scenario. While falling short of recognition, with the group still under the UN Security Council sanctions, Moscows decision aims to gain leverage with the Taliban-run Islamic Emirate. Since the fall of Kabul, Russia has engaged with the Talibanits diplomats stayed back and its embassy remainedopen.

Moscow also accredited a Taliban-appointed diplomat in August 2022 and accepted a military attach in February this year. It invited the group for the Moscow Format consultations in 2021 and 2022 and the St Petersburg International Economic Forum twice, in 2022 and 2024. The countrys special envoy recently also hinted at Kabuls possibleinclusionin the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), subject to its recognition.

In its 2023 Concept of Foreign Policy, Russia articulated its long-term aim tointegrateAfghanistan into the Eurasianspacefor cooperation. There is, thus, also a strong geoeconomic factor behind Moscows overtures to the Taliban and the groups removal from the terror list is expected to facilitate bilateral economic ties. Projects like the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railroad and the Afghan sector of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India gas can promote economic activity in Afghanistan, lead to improved regional connectivity, and enhance border infrastructure to check terrorist infiltration. For Moscow, a stable Afghanistan is seen as a firewall to prevent the spread of terrorism to Central Asia, and eventually into Russia.

India has a technical team stationed at its embassy in Kabul since June 2022. New Delhis engagement with the group has also increased, with Indian officials meeting IEAs Acting FM in March 2024 to discuss the provision of aid and the use of Chabahar by Afghan traders. The Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment also held an online meeting with the Indian ports Global Limited to discuss theports use by tradersfrom the country. Taliban-appointed diplomats have not been formally accredited by India although, the Afghan Republic-era Ambassador and the consul general of Mumbai have resigned.

While highlighting the need for the Taliban to uphold women and minorities rights and establish an inclusive government, India has asserted that Afghanistan shouldnt be used as a haven for terrorist groups, placing the onus to counter the threat on the Taliban. It sees bothanti-India terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and transnational groupsas a major threat to its security and strategic interests. For India, fears about the presence of LeT and JeM in Afghanistan and their ability to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir have been a preeminent concern. The 13threport of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team mentioned that the JeM maintains training camps in Afghanistan, with some of them under the direct control of the Taliban and that the LeT provided finance and training support to the Talibans operations. For New Delhi, stability in Afghanistan is also important for its outreach to the Central Asian Republics.

The past two and a half years of the Islamic Emirates rule in Afghanistan have revealed the failure of the commitments made in the Doha agreement to prevent the use of Afghanistan as a haven and a springboard for coordinating transnational terror attacks. The UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Teams January 2024 report highlighted the close relationship between Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Al Qaeda also called on the groups supporters from all over the world to migrate to Afghanistan andemulate the practicesof the Taliban to launch a collective struggle against the Western and the Zionist forces. The group now has a presence in 10 of the 34 provinces and has opened new training camps, madrasas and safe houses in the country. While the Taliban enjoys a cordial relationship with some groups, including Al Qaeda, the increase in the strength of groups like the ISKP poses a significant challenge to their hold on power as well as to the overall security of the region.

Thus, many in the international community see establishing some sort of engagement with the Taliban as necessary to counter this threat. Moscows proposal to remove the Taliban from the proscribed list is also seen as an incremental step to have more space to manoeuvre. But whether the Taliban is capable and willing to effectively establish control over these terror groups is still anybodys guess. The ISKP is putting a renewed emphasis on South and Central Asia, expanding its outreach to these regions. The group has criticised theTalibans engagement with India withsome instances of both the ISKP and Al Qaeda commenting on the internal developments in New Delhi.

Indias cooperation with Russia is seen as providing New Delhi agatewayto engage with the Taliban. Indias meetings with some members of the Emirate last year are seen to be fructifying because of Russian assistance. Last month, Zamir Kabulov, Russias Special Envoy to Afghanistan, visited India at New Delhis invitation. The timing of the visitin the aftermath of the attack in Moscowindicated both Moscow and Indias shared concerns about the terror threat.

In the aftermath of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the trifecta of Iran, Russia, and China stepped up their engagement in the country, united with the mutual aim of keeping the US out of the region. Even though the US publicly refrains from seeing Afghanistan as a platform for strategic competition with Russia, the latter views it that way. Last month, Moscow and Beijing reaffirmed their resolve to prevent any attempts by the US or NATO to set up military infrastructure in the country and committed to increase cooperation in Afghanistan.

As discussed above, both India and Russia share common concerns in the country which provides them space to work together through both bilateral and multilateral channels. Experts deem the importance of the SCO- Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) frameworkto counter the terror threat in Afghanistan, by allowing for the sharing of information about certain groups and individuals inimical to the member countries interests, tackling drug smuggling, conducting joint anti-terrorist exercises, etc.as an important means to enhance cooperation.

However, while India engages in a few initiatives led by Russia and is a member of the SCO, Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan engage through groupings which exclude India. Their engagement with the group is also distinct from that of New Delhi, which is relatively more cognisant of balancing its commitment towards the interests of the Afghan people with its own strategic interests. Despite these differences, New Delhi must work with Russia to have a stake in how the security situation develops in the country.

The Taliban has refrained from acknowledging the full extent of the threat from the ISKP, with its senior leadersdownplayingit in public meetings and denying any need for externalsupport. As per the UN, the Talibans priority is majorly managing the internal threat the ISKP poses to their power rather than looking at the groups external actions. The Taliban increased its counter-insurgency efforts in February last year but the reduction in the number of attacks by the ISKP was not because of the effectiveness of the Talibans counter-terror capabilities but probably because of the ISKPs own strategy shift.

Meanwhile, the Taliban has also failed to address Chinas concerns about the presence of the Turkestan Islamic Party (also called the ETIM) on its border or the TTPs unceasing attacks in Pakistan. While in the initial months, Russia did appreciate the Talibans efforts at countering the ISKP it has highlighted that the group will have to do more. There were reports about the perpetrators of the attack in Iran and Trkiye receiving their training in Afghanistan. The close links between the Haqqani network and the ISKP are seen as one of the reasons why the group has failed to counter ISKPs growth.

Talibans reluctance or inability to deal with Afghan-based terror outfits for public posturing has now led to the international community increasing its engagement to pre-empt the instability that could arise in a situation where the Emirate is unable to manage the different groups. But greater engagement risks granting legitimacy to the group, even as there is no surety of any tangible counter-terrorism measures taken by Kabul and any movement towards implementation of promises of broad basing governance and womens rights and freedom.

So far, China, Russia, Iran, Trkiye and others have been attempting to fill the vacuum caused by the sudden and chaotic withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan in 2021. For India, while certain differences with Russia on the degree of engagement with the group and the latters growing bonhomie with China will persist, it will continue to maintain the momentum of its cooperation, to keep its foot in the game, as the two share mutual concerns security-related and economic stability concerns in the country.

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Source: This article was published by the Observer Research Foundation.

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Navigating The Terror Threat: Russia And India In Afghanistan Analysis - Eurasia Review

Afghanistan will face South Africa in the semi-final as both teams aim to reach the final for the first time. Afridi, who himself delivered a player of the match performance in the 2009 semi-final, reminisced about that match and talked about the strengths of South Africa.

It is still fresh in my mind and brings a heartwarming smile whenever I reminisce about that time.

"It was one of my memorable performances, with a half-century and two wickets while going at four an over, and it helped the team reach the final, which we also won.

"This years competition will see a new finalist, Afghanistan or South Africa, which is refreshing.

"South Africa have match-winners of their own Quinton de Kock has exhibited some of his brilliant ball-striking skills, while Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada have shown great discipline with the ball.

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Nobody should be surprised if Afghanistan win the T20 World Cup: Shahid Afridi - ICC Cricket

A Taliban delegation will be attending a women-free UN-led meeting on the Afghan crisis on Sunday and Monday in Doha, Qatar, the terrorist organization announced Tuesday.

The Taliban-run Afghani foreign ministry in Kabul said the chief Taliban government spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, will lead the Taliban delegation.

The organizers of the meeting announced last week that women would be excluded from the meeting, a request made by the Taliban as a condition for their attendance.

The UN-led meeting aims to engage with the Taliban on a way to improve the lives of millions of Afghans and how to engage with the group moving forward, Reuters reported.

The strategy for the Doha meeting was discussed at a meeting chaired by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The meeting discussed international restrictions imposed on Afghanistans financial and banking system, the challenges the country faces in growing the private sector, and the governments actions against drug trafficking, Arab News reported, citing the foreign ministry.

The Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021 when US troops and NATO forces pulled out of the country after 20 years of war.

This meeting, which will also include envoys from some 25 countries, will be the third such meeting in Doha. According to Reuters, however, it will be the first attended by the Taliban, as they are not officially recognized by any government.

The Taliban was not invited to the first meeting. Although they were invited to the second, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said they set unacceptable conditions for attending the second meeting in February, Arab News reported.

According to Guterres, their demands included that Afghan civil society members not be included in the talks and that the Taliban be recognized as Afghanistans legitimate leadership.

Last week, Roza Otunbayeva, the UNs top official in Afghanistan, defended the decision to include the Taliban at this meeting and insisted that demands for womens rights will be raised.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban has banned female education and employment.

Human rights groups criticized the UN for not having Afghan women at the table with the Taliban in Doha, as well as for not intending to discuss women's rights or human rights at the meeting.

Heather Barr, Associate Director at Human Rights Watch, said she strongly disapproves of the decision to exclude human rights from the agenda of the upcoming Doha meeting on Afghanistan. She described the omission as "shocking" and said, "It will have major and long-term harmful effects."

Barr said that this decision "will have global implications as well. Security Resolution 1325, which is the resolution that says women have a right to be full participants in all important discussions about their country's future, has been around for 25 years [and] is a foundation to the international approach to women's rights. If women aren't at the table, they can't protect women's... rights."

Barr called this decision "a new low and a bit of an existential crisis." She added that it has been "baffling and incredibly distressing to see this happen."

The Organization for Policy Research and Development Studies (DROPS), a Kabul-based think tank focused on strengthening the values of inclusivity and pluralism in Afghanistan, echoed Barr's sentiments on X, formerly Twitter.

According to Reuters, the UN officials and the country envoys attending the Taliban meeting are also due to meet separately with Afghan civil society groups.

"I want to emphasize - this is a process. We are getting a lot of criticism: Why aren't women at the table? Why aren't Afghan women at the table? Why is civil society not at the table? This is not an inter-Afghan dialog," UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said. "I would hope we could get to that someday, but we're not there."

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Afghan terrorist organization to attend UN-led meeting in Qatar - The Jerusalem Post

South Africa dismantled Afghanistan for just 56 on a difficult pitch as they stormed into their first Men's T20 World Cup final with a nine-wicket win in Trinidad.

The Proteas had lost all seven of their previous World Cup semi-finals across the T20 and 50-over events but are now one victory away from a maiden trophy after an eighth win out of eight at this year's competition.

Aiden Markram's side - who will now face England or India in Barbados on Saturday - rolled Afghanistan in 11.5 overs on a surface offering extreme bounce and ample seam movement with Azmatullah Omarzai (10) the only batter to make double figures as the first-time semi-finalists were demolished for their lowest T20I score.

Pacemen Marco Jansen (3-16), Anrich Nortje (2-7) and Kagiso Rabada (2-14) razed the Afghanistan top order - Rashid Khan's side were 28-6 in 6.3 overs after electing to bat - before spinner Tabraiz Shamsi (3-6) polished off the tail.

South Africa reached their target in 8.5 overs as Reeza Hendricks (29no off 25) followed a hooked six off Azmatullah with the match-clinching four down the ground, taking his stand with Markram (23no off 21) to an unbroken 55 off 43 deliveries.

Afghanistan 56 all out in 11.5 overs: Tabraiz Shamsi (3-6), Marco Jansen (3-16), Anrich Nortje (2-7), Kagiso Rabada (2-14); Azmatullah Omarzai (10)

South Africa 60-1 in 8.5 overs: Reeza Hendricks (29no off 25), Aiden Markram (23no off 21); Fazalhaq Farooqi (1-11)

Quinton de Kock (5), bowled by Afghanistan quick Fazalhaq Farooqi's in-swinger in the second over after being struck on the body by Naveen-ul-Haq in the first, was the only Proteas player to be dismissed in the chase.

But Markram and Hendricks still had to deal with deliveries flying through dangerously high as well as scuttling through low before securing South Africa's landmark victory.

Markram's men will now become the first side to win the T20 World Cup having come through the tournament unbeaten if they see off England or India in Bridgetown this weekend, with the second semi-final in Guyana from 3.30pm on Thursday.

Afghanistan - who finished ahead of Australia in Super 8s Group 1 to reach the semi-finals - were simply blown away by South Africa on the sketchy surface, losing Rahmanullah Gurbaz (0) to the sixth ball of the match as the opener edged Jansen behind.

Jansen bowled Gulbadin Naib (9) with a nip-backer in the third over, while Rabada then castled Ibrahim Zadran (2) and Mohammad Nabi (0) in the fourth before Jansen struck again in the fifth when Nangeyalia Kharote (2) gloved a short ball down the leg-side.

Top-scorer Azmatullah holed out at deep cover off Nortje in the seventh but South Africa had to wait another three overs for their next breakthrough as Rashid (8) and Karim Janat (8) added 22 from 18 deliveries in partnership.

However, Shamsi took two wickets in three balls in the 10th, removing Janat and Noor Ahmad (0) lbw, before Nortje knocked Rashid's off stump out of the ground in the 11th and Naveen (2) was then lbw to Shamsi on the sweep from the fifth ball of the 12th.

South Africa's men will now hope to go one better than their women's team, who were beaten in the final of the 2023 T20 World Cup by Australia, while Afghanistan's disappointment at being knocked out should be soothed by how much they impressed in this tournament, with wins over New Zealand and Australia the highlights.

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan:

"It was a tough match for us as a team. We might have done a bit better than that, but the conditions didn't let us. That's what T20 is about, you've got to be ready for any situation. They bowled exceptionally well, we couldn't bat well.

"To reach the semi-final and play one of the best teams in South Africa, we'd have taken that. It's just the start for us, we can beat any team if we can keep it simple."

South Africa skipper Aiden Markram:

"It feels good. It's not really the captain that gets you to this stage of the competition, it's a massive squad effort and people behind the scenes. I'm chuffed we have one more crack at winning a trophy.

"We've never been there before but it's nothing to be scared of. It's an opportunity that we've never had.

"We feel we've been playing really good cricket for a couple of years now and have some world-class players in the group.

"Obviously there are external pressures but we're trying to keep it simple and that should give us a good chance."

Watch the second T20 World Cup semi-final between England and India, in Guyana, live from 3pm on Sky Sports Cricket (first ball at 3.30pm). Then catch the final in Barbados from 3pm on Saturday (3.30pm first ball).

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South Africa reach first Men's T20 World Cup final after skittling Afghanistan for 56 on tricky pitch in Trinidad - Sky Sports

Raw talent: Afghanistan's Naveen-ul-Haq celebrates the dismissal of Bangladesh's Taskin Ahmed to win Monday's game (Randy Brooks)

Coach Jonathan Trott believes Afghanistan will go into Wednesday's T20 World Cup semi-final against South Africa boosted by "having no scarring, no history" unlike the accident-prone Proteas.

Afghanistan will be playing in the last-four of any World Cup for the first time.

South Africa are still without a major global title with just the 1998 Champions Trophy to show for all their endeavours.

They have also been accused of "choking" on big occasions.

Losing to Australia in the 1999 World Cup semi-finals after a farcical run-out and a blunder in reading the rain rules against Sri Lanka on home turf in 2003 are famously among their catalogue of horrors.

"We go into the semi-final with no scarring or no history with regards to semi-finals. This is uncharted territory for us," said Trott, the former Ashes-winning England batsman who was born and raised in South Africa.

"We're just going to go out there and give it our all. There's no preconceived ideas on it all, or history of failure or success in semi-finals in past years.

"For us it's a new challenge and I think that makes us dangerous in the semi-finals as a side with nothing to lose and obviously a lot of pressure on the opposition."

South Africa have defeated Afghanistan in their only two other T20 meetings -- by 59 runs at Barbados in the 2010 T20 World Cup and 37 runs in Mumbai six years later.

The Proteas have won all seven matches they have played at this World Cup but have teetered on the edge of embarrassment more than once.

In the first round, they defeated the Netherlands by four wickets after being 12-4 at one stage chasing just 104 to win.

A four-run win over Bangladesh followed before they avoided what would have been a seismic shock in a one-run victory over Nepal.

In the Super Eights, they squeezed past defending champions England by just seven runs.

Afghanistan were defeated by 47 runs at the hands of India in their second round opener before a stunning 21-run victory over Australia.

They sealed their place in the last-four with a nail-biting eight-run victory against Bangladesh on Monday.

Trott said it felt "surreal" to have led Afghanistan into the semi-finals.

The 43-year-old has certainly developed close bonds with the team since taking over as coach in July 2022.

After the rain-hit win over Bangladesh in Saint Vincent he was carried off on the players' shoulders.

"When I took over, I was astounded by the talent that I saw," added Trott.

"There was a certain rawness to it all and no real structure to how the game was played or thought about.

"I've just tried to add here and there. At no stage have I tried to clip anybody's wings. I'm just trying to make the bow of the arrow even stronger so that they can go for longer, win more games and shoot for the stars even further away."

dj/nf

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Trott says Afghanistan have 'no scarring' ahead of T20 World Cup semi - Yahoo Eurosport UK