Afghan and American intelligence agencies have long been cooperating
By Andrey Serenko, Special Correspondent for “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”
Original article: ЦРУ и «Талибан»: визит в Москву под прикрытием
A delegation from the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) of the Afghan Taliban (On April 17, 2025, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation suspended the ban on the group's activities, though it remains on Russia’s list of terrorist organizations) is expected to arrive in Moscow in the coming days for negotiations. The delegation includes individuals closely linked to the head of the GDI, Mullah Abdul Haq Wasiq, who are fully trusted by him. These same Taliban intelligence officials previously participated in a series of negotiations with representatives of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Likely, the composition of the Taliban GDI delegation preparing for the visit to Russia was coordinated with American intelligence representatives.
“Nezavisimaya Gazeta” has obtained a classified document dated July 13 of this year, prepared at the headquarters of the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence. According to the document:
“By order of the leadership of the General Directorate, the following delegation has been formed for the trip to the Russian Federation:
Abdul Malik Mubashir, Head of the Office of the GDI, as head of the delegation;
Abdul Jabbar Shahidmal, Head of Department 197 (Foreign Relations), as a member of the delegation;
Abdul Rahim Mazlum, Head of Department 060 (Technical and Transport), as a member of the delegation.”
The document states: “This three-member delegation has been appointed for the trip to the Russian Federation, and until their return, the first deputies of these departments will be responsible for coordination and execution of all affairs.”
The composition of the Taliban intelligence delegation visiting Moscow is quite notable. It is known that Abdul Malik Mubashir, the head of the delegation, is a relative of the GDI chief, Mullah Abdul Haq Wasiq, and enjoys his full trust. Both Mubashir and Abdul Rahim Mazlum (natives of Ghazni Province) have previously participated in a series of secret negotiations with representatives of the CIA. For example, on March 5–6 of this year, Mubashir and Mazlum met with American intelligence envoys in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and on April 12–13 in Doha, Qatar.
According to available information, since late 2024, the Taliban GDI delegation headed by Mubashir has been meeting with CIA counterparts approximately every two months in one of the Arab countries. One of the main topics of such meetings is the provision of financial assistance to the Taliban GDI from U.S. intelligence agencies. Mubashir is considered a key figure in Taliban intelligence, deeply involved in the nuances of covert financial relations with the CIA over at least the past three years.
Afghan sources familiar with the Taliban’s internal intelligence operations emphasize that Mubashir is trusted not only by his direct superior but also by his American counterparts, with whom he has successfully conducted numerous backchannel deals. According to these sources:
“The Taliban GDI leadership almost certainly informed their CIA partners in advance of the planned Moscow visit and coordinated the delegation’s composition with them. There is no doubt that after the Moscow talks conclude, the Taliban delegates will fully brief their American colleagues on the results.”
One Afghan source suggested that the GDI may later use Moscow’s interest as leverage to increase financial support from the CIA:
“After all, no one is likely to pay the GDI more than the American intelligence community.”
The GDI document dated July 13 also reveals a leadership change in Department 197 (Foreign Relations). Until recently, this position was held by Dr. Shamsullah Abu al-Saeed, who also took part in all of Mullah Wasiq’s closed-door meetings with the CIA. He has now been replaced by Abdul Jabbar Shahidmal. Although Shahidmal has not yet been observed attending Middle Eastern meetings with American intelligence, this should not provide any reassurance to his future interlocutors in Moscow. Accidental figures do not rise to such high ranks within the Taliban’s intelligence structure. Over recent years, the top leadership of the Taliban’s GDI has built very close and lucrative ties with American intelligence agencies—ostensibly under the banner of “cooperation in the fight against international terrorism.”
Well-informed Afghan sources believe that the CIA will likely use these new contacts between the Taliban GDI and Moscow not only to clarify Russia’s actual political intentions regarding Afghanistan but also to gather information about Russian intelligence activities and personnel operating in the Afghan arena.
