Afghan embassies to 'act independently', break ties with Taliban govt

Embassies in Afghanistan have broken ties with the Taliban and have been acting independently, calling on the world to denounce the hardline Islamist fundamentalist's existence and recognition. While the nature of their revenue remains unknown, they are openly protesting the newly installed Taliban government, not seeking to have any relation or contact with the militia, a former official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) told Pajhwok Afghan News. This comes in the backdrop of the former Afghan diplomats’ first-of-its-kind joint statement appealing to the world leaders to deny the Taliban’s formal recognition. The ex-envoys also chided the West for leaving Afghan nationals and the country “at mercy of” terrorists, agencies familiar with the development reported. 

Afghanistan’s former MoFA has told state reporters that the embassies, of whom one is yet to deposit money in a bank, are all refusing to divulge the source of their funding. While Afghanistan’s political departments are responsible to maintain the foreign embassies, they have cut off all contacts with the current Kabul administration and the host countries, the official in a statement to Pajhwok revealed, adding that they are still being operated under ex-minister, Hanif Atmar, and former Afghan vice-president Amrullah Saleh.

A few may be in touch with the new administration, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) whose name has not been disclosed due to security reasons, informed. He refused to go into further details but stressed that nearly 80 per cent of the ministry staffers have fled Kabul following the Taliban’s takeover. 

Afghan envoys in exile, Taliban tries to establish contact

The MoFA now operates very few offices with meagre staff in the departments, the official reportedly said. Earlier, they made revenue out of the services like issuance of passports and other facilities, which entailed embassies’ expenses. But with the Taliban taking control of the country, and officers escaping with many in exile, it remains unclear what the source of income of these embassies is now that they are denouncing the Taliban and are choosing to act independently.

“The revenue of Afghanistan embassies in Europe is transferred to Bonn and then to Kabul. A few days ago, Atmar contacted the Bunn consulate and asked it to deposit the revenue it collected in his personal bank account and he would transfer it to MoFA,” the officials’ statement to Pajhwok Afghan News read.

The agency stated that it failed to establish contact with the Former Minister of Interior of Afghanistan, Mohammad Hanif Atmar. Bunn consulate meanwhile issued a response saying that the specified funding belonged to Afghanistan and its people. Ex- MoFA also revealed that the acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, made several attempts to organize a meeting with Afghan envoys abroad amid the staffing shortfall. 

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