KABUL: The Taliban government has cut consular ties with Afghan embassies and diplomats in Western countries who are loyal to the former foreign-backed administration, Kabul said on Tuesday.
Taliban takeover in 2021 left diplomats in Afghanistan’s foreign missions in limbo, having promised to serve a government which collapsed after the withdrawal of US troops.
No country in the world has yet officially recognized the Taliban government but in the past three years, the Taliban authorities have installed ambassadors in some embassies in the neighboring states.
Afghanistan’s foreign ministry on Tuesday said it now “bears no responsibility” for credentials including passports and visas issued by missions out of step with Taliban authorities.
The embassies in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden and the UK have stopped getting support from the Taliban.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly urged the Afghan political and consular missions in European countries to engage with Kabul,” a statement said.
“Unfortunately, the actions of most of the missions are carried out arbitrarily, without coordination and in explicit violation of the existing accepted principles.”
The statement advised Afghans living abroad to deal with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan instead of foreign missions. China, Pakistan and Russia are among Afghan missions working on order from the Taliban government.
Embassies cut off from Kabul have found themselves in acute financial crisis, as they have no money to pay staff salaries, rent and bills. Without any income, they might be unable to remain open.
Since taking power in 2021, Taliban officials have campaigned to be Afghanistan’s sole representatives on the global stage.
Diplomats, analysts and rights campaigners are divided over whether to engage with the Taliban government in a bid to soften their stance.
