Taliban signs deal to buy Russian gas, wheat, oil products: Reuters

• 

Reuters reported on Tuesday that the Taliban signed an agreement with Russia to supply gasoline, diesel, gas, and wheat to Afghanistan, according to Acting Afghan Commerce and Industry Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi.

According to Azizi, his Commerce and Industry Ministry mobilized considerable efforts to diversify its trading partners. Russia had previously proposed a discount to the Taliban on average global commodity prices.

This comes as the Taliban's inked its first known major international economic deal coming back to power more than a year ago. It is hoped that it may help to ease the Islamist movement's isolation that has effectively cut it off from the global banking system.

Read more: Taliban officials accuse US of 'usurping' Afghanistan's frozen assets

Both the Taliban and Russia maintained diplomatic relations despite the incident that happened at the Russian Embassy in Kabul on September 5. 

Besides economic cooperation, Russia has been diplomatically supportive of Afghanistan in its request from the US to have frozen assets returned.

Since reclaiming power in the country in August 2021, the Taliban movement has been battling a local chapter of IS-K, which is believed to be responsible for the majority of terrorist attacks and bomb explosions in Afghanistan. 

It has also been demanding that the US returns frozen assets to alleviate the negative effects of previous years of economic isolation.

On September 17, huge rallies were held across Kabul to protest the US recent announcement to transfer part of Afghanistan's national reserves to a trust fund in Switzerland, calling for the full release of assets.

The Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August of last year after an incredibly chaotic withdrawal of US troops and the end of the US occupation of the country.

Read more: Protests against Washington's decision on nation's assets: Afghanistan