The breakaway Russian republic of Chechnya opened an embassy in the Afghan capital yesterday. A green, white and black flag with six stars and a wolf was raised over a building donated by the ruling Taliban movement, the independent Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency said.
The ceremony in Kabul brought together two movements that have fought to establish Islamic states that remain unrecognized by most other countries, and followed a pledge by the Taliban last week to offer assistance to the Chechen government. The embassy was opened by Taliban deputy foreign minister Abdul Rehman and Chechen officials.
Only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have formally recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's government since it swept to power in 1996.