MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. A representative of the Taliban’s (outlawed in Russia) political office paid a visit to the Russian embassy in Kabul on Saturday, asking the Russian diplomats to inform the leaders of the remaining resistance center in Panjshir that the movement looks to dialogue and seeks a peaceful solution, Russia’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov said on the YouTube channel Solovyev Live on Saturday.
"We had a representative of the Taliban’s political office at the embassy today. Knowing that Russia enjoys big prestige with various political forces in Afghanistan, he asked us to convey a political signal to Panjshir," he said.
"They asked us that Russia will give the following message to Panjshir leaders and people: the Taliban have not made a single attempt to enter Panjshir by force until now. The group hopes to find a peaceful solution to the situation, for example, through a political agreement. The Taliban do not want bloodshed and are committed to dialogue," the diplomat said.
On August 15, the Taliban movement (banned in Russia) swept into Kabul, meeting no resistance and taking complete control of the Afghan capital within hours. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced he was leaving the country to avoid bloodshed. Western nations are evacuating their citizens and diplomatic missions.
On February 14, 2003, Russia’s Supreme Court handed down a ruling declaring the Taliban to be a terrorist organization, which is outlawed in Russia.