The Taliban-controlled Afghan Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said it will no longer recognise consular documents issued by Afghan diplomatic missions in several Western countries.
The decision which take effect immediately, affects passports, visas and other official documents issued by Afghan missions in countries like London, Belgium, Berlin, Bonn and Switzerland.
Also in Austria, France, Italy, Greece, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Canada and Australia.
According to a statement by the ministry, these missions have operated “arbitrarily” and violated Kabul’s directives.
Afghans living in these countries are advised to travel to other countries to access consular services.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, many Afghan diplomatic missions were either handed over to the Taliban or started taking orders from the Taliban Foreign Ministry in Kabul.
However, Afghan embassies in many Western countries have continued to operate independently, providing consular services to Afghan citizens.
The decision is expected to create significant hardship for Afghans residing in the affected countries.
It is likely to create further challenges for them in accessing essential services and navigating bureaucratic hurdles.
The Taliban government is not officially recognised by any country yet. (dpa/NAN)
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