Following the closure of the Afghanistan’s Embassy in Oslo, a reliable source in Norway has revealed that the host country has handed over the care of the embassy building to someone approved by the Taliban.
Norway closed the Afghanistan’s Embassy in September of last year at the request of the Taliban. For the past three years, the embassy had been managed by diplomats loyal to the former Afghanistan’s government.
Yusuf Ghafurzi, the former Afghanistan’s ambassador to Oslo, announced in September that his mission had ended after serving four and a half years in Norway.
Sources stated that the handover of the embassy building to a Taliban-approved individual does not signify the reopening of the embassy. Any official reopening would require the removal of legal barriers by the host country.
It has been reported that the person assigned by the Taliban to care for the embassy building currently resides in Oslo.
The Afghanistan’s Embassy in Oslo announced in September that, at the request of the Norwegian government, the embassy would remain closed until September 12, 2024. During this period, all movable and immovable assets, including the embassy building, would be entrusted to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a trust until a legitimate government, based on the will of the people, is formed in Afghanistan.
Both Norwegian and Taliban officials have yet to comment officially on the handover of the Afghanistan’s Embassy building.
International organizations and Western countries have strongly criticized the Taliban’s current restrictions on women, particularly the banning of their participation in public life. These measures have been condemned for violating women’s basic human rights and limiting their access to education, work, and healthcare, further isolating Afghanistan from the global community.
The continued tensions between Norway and the Taliban reflect broader international concerns over the Taliban’s policies, particularly regarding women’s rights. As the situation remains unresolved, it highlights the challenges of navigating diplomatic relations with Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
