LONDON, Sep 30 (Alliance News):Afghanistan’s embassy in London closed on Friday, marking a significant shift in diplomatic relations as Taliban authorities severed ties with missions established by the previous Afghan government and dismissed its UK staff.
An AFP reporter observed a notice affixed to the gate of the consular section reading: “The embassy of the Republic of Afghanistan is closed.” Although no one answered the door, the Afghan flag continued to fly outside the building.
Afghan ambassador to the UK, Zalmai Rassoul, announced earlier this month that the embassy’s closure was made “at the official request of the host country” effective September 27. However, the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) refuted claims that it was behind the closure.
A spokesperson clarified, “This decision was not made by the UK government. The State of Afghanistan decided to close the Afghan Embassy in London and dismiss its staff. We continue to support the people of Afghanistan and provide humanitarian assistance to those most in need.”
The FCDO did not specify whether a new Afghan ambassador would be accredited in London.
The UK does not recognize the Taliban government as legitimate and maintains no formal diplomatic relations with Afghanistan.
Nevertheless, like the United States and the European Union, London acknowledges the necessity of engaging pragmatically with Afghanistan’s current administration.
The UK mission to Afghanistan is now based in Doha. According to the embassy’s website, the consular section in London had already closed on September 20.
On Friday, Rassoul shared a post on X, in which the German ambassador to the UK expressed his pleasure in working with the Afghan envoy over the years and condemned the “appalling situation for women and girls under the Taliban.”
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, embassies had continued to operate with diplomatic staff loyal to the prior foreign-backed government.
However, at the end of July, the Taliban’s foreign affairs ministry stated it “bears no responsibility” for credentials, including passports and visas, issued by missions no longer aligned with Kabul’s new rulers.
Afghans living abroad are now urged to engage with missions associated with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the Taliban’s self-styled name for the country.
While no country has officially recognized the Taliban government, Pakistan, China, and Russia are hosting Afghan embassies that operate under its directives.
