Russian diplomats, including the Kremlin’s special envoy for Afghanistan, attended a Taliban-led ceremony in Moscow marking the fourth anniversary of their return to power and the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan, according to a statement.
The Taliban refer to Aug. 15, 2021 — the day they regained power in Kabul — as “Victory Day.” The Taliban-run Afghan embassy in Moscow said the event was attended by senior diplomats and figures, including Russia’s Foreign Ministry adviser and Zamir Kabulov, Moscow’s special representative for Afghanistan.
Russia last month became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban rule since its return to power nearly four years ago, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and activists.
Human rights defenders, particularly women’s rights advocates inside Afghanistan, condemned Moscow’s decision as legitimizing “gender apartheid” and widespread abuses under Taliban rule.
Meanwhile, women’s protest movements and opposition groups described Aug. 15 as a “black day in history,” saying the Taliban’s return has cast a “shadow of fear and despair” over the country and stripped citizens — especially women — of basic rights.
