Sergey Naryshkin, Head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, met yesterday in a significant visit to Kabul with Abdul Haq Wasiq, Head of the Taliban government's intelligence, and other senior officials of this group. This visit, which in a way reflects closer relations between the two sides, comes at a time when the Taliban have recently signed a security agreement with Russia.
Discussion on Security Cooperation
During this meeting, the two sides discussed the "development of relations and intelligence cooperation." According to a credible source in the Taliban government, the discussions in this session revolved around "information exchange and joint security cooperation." However, no further details about the topics raised in these discussions have been released.
Read more: Aliyev and the Controversial Decision on Hijab Restrictions in Schools of Azerbaijan
Naryshkin's visit to Kabul is considered a rare event and seems aimed at strengthening relations between the two countries in security and intelligence fields. This comes as two weeks ago, Russia had also invited a Taliban military delegation to visit the military exercises of 2026. The mentioned exercises will be held under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia.
Other Steps by Russia Towards Regional Cooperation
As the only country that recognizes the Taliban government, Russia has recently taken steps to strengthen its cooperation with this group. In September, Ibrahim Kalin, Head of Turkey's Intelligence Organization, also visited Kabul, with the aim of reducing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad. Simultaneously with this visit, Hamad bin Khamis, Deputy Head of Qatar's National Security Council, was also present in Kabul.
In this context, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, the Russian Minister of Internal Affairs, also traveled to Islamabad and met with Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of the Armed Forces of Pakistan, at the General Command Headquarters. These meetings reflect Russia's efforts to mediate in the existing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The simultaneous visits of senior Russian officials to Kabul and Islamabad could help strengthen relations between these countries and reduce security tensions. Additionally, security discussions and regional outlook are other important topics that have been addressed in these meetings. Given the political and security complexities in the region, these developments could have profound impacts on relations among Central and South Asian countries.
Read more: The U.S. Warned Ukraine: Officials Were Threatened · The U.S. Proposal to Europe for the Release of Russian Assets
