Non-Taliban linked Afghanistan Embassy closes in Ankara
Afghanistan’s embassy in Ankara, Türkiye. (Courtesy of Wikimapia)
Afghanistan’s embassy in Turkish capital Ankara announced Thursday that it has officially closed its doors. The embassy had been operating for the past three and a half years not under the auspices of the Taliban, but with the team that represented the Afghan state before the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021.
In a statement posted on X, the embassy explained that it continued functioning despite efforts by the Taliban to take control after its return to power.
The embassy cited “failed attempts by the Taliban to take control of the embassy and the continual pressure put on the diplomats and employees of this embassy” as the reason for its closure.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry has yet to comment on the matter.
A security guard at the embassy, speaking to news agency AFP, stated that the closure was due to the embassy’s refusal to align with the Taliban regime.
In its final message, the embassy expressed gratitude to Türkiye for its support over the years, citing the lack of a “legitimate government based on the people’s will” in Afghanistan as the reason for ending its mission.
