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Russian embassy has only working contacts with Taliban — Foreign Ministry

"Our embassy in Afghanistan regularly comments on and publishes information about the contacts that have taken place," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pointed out

MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. Russia maintains working contacts with the Taliban movement (outlawed in Russia) via its embassy in Kabul, but there are no plans for any other contacts, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing on Thursday.

"At this point there are working contacts with the Taliban via our embassy in Kabul. Honestly speaking, there are no plans for other contacts or talks," she said. "Our embassy in Afghanistan regularly comments on and publishes information about the contacts that have taken place."

The Taliban launched a large-scale operation for control of Afghanistan after the United States last spring declared the intention to pull its troops out of the country. On August 15, President Ashraf Ghani stepped down and left. The Taliban entered Kabul without encountering resistance.

On Tuesday, the Taliban's spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid unveiled the composition of Afghanistan's new government. All ministers are the Taliban's members. The radicals said the current makeup of the Cabinet was temporary.