Russia won't attend new Afghan govt's inauguration ceremony: Kremlin

Dunya News

Russia won't attend new Afghan govts inauguration ceremony: Kremlin

 

MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Friday that Russia would not take part in any way in the Taliban government’s inauguration ceremony in Afghanistan.

The speaker of Russia’s upper house of parliament said earlier this week that Russia would be represented at the inauguration by ambassador-level officials, the RIA news agency reported.

Taliban swept to power last month after US-backed government collapsed followed by US troops’ complete withdrawal from the war-torn country after 20 years.

The new rulers have pledged to be more accommodating than during their first stint in power, which also came after years of conflict – first the Soviet invasion of 1979, and then a bloody civil war.

This time round, the Taliban have made repeated declarations that they will not carry out revenge attacks on opponents, and women will have access to education and some employment.