loading…
Taliban Wants More Control of Afghanistan Diplomatic Mission. PHOTO/Reuters
KABUL – Government Taliban trying to take over more embassies Afghanistan abroad. This move comes amidst the continued international isolation of the Taliban due to their restrictions on women and girls.
Initially, the Taliban promised more moderate rules after taking power in August 2021. However, they have instead imposed sweeping bans and other measures that limit basic freedoms.
The United Nations and foreign governments have vehemently condemned restrictions on women’s education and employment, and the international community remains wary of official recognition by the Taliban, although several countries maintain active diplomatic missions in Afghanistan, including Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar and China.
“The Islamic Emirate has sent diplomats to at least 14 countries and efforts are under way to lead other diplomatic missions abroad,” the main spokesman for the Taliban government, Zabihullah Mujahid said in a video.
“Diplomats from the former government are continuing their activities in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he continued, as quoted by AP, Saturday (25/3/2023).
According to him, the Taliban had sent diplomats to Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, China, Kazakhstan and other Arab and African countries, according to Mujahid. However, Mujahid did not provide further details.
In February, authorities handed control of the Afghan embassy in Tehran to a Taliban government envoy. The embassy was previously run by envoys from the US-backed former Afghan government.
The government’s deputy spokesman, Bilal Karimi, could not immediately provide figures for how many Afghan diplomatic missions were active abroad or how many the government had handled since August 2021.
“There are many embassies abroad. The Islamic Emirate wants to have diplomatic relations with all countries and move forward with good interactions,” he told The Associated Press.
“We hope embassies will be opened in all countries as soon as official relations begin with the Islamic Emirate,” he continued.
(esn)
