Afghan Diplomats

The Maldives recalled its top diplomat in Pakistan, official sources said Monday, after he had an unauthorised meeting with an Afghan envoy in Islamabad.

Afghanistan's embassy in London closed on Friday after Taliban authorities cut ties with diplomatic missions set up by the previous government in Kabul and fired its UK staff.

The Taliban government has severed consular ties with swathes of Afghan embassies in Western countries, Kabul said Tuesday, cutting off diplomats loyal to the former foreign-backed administration.

Soon after it came to light that she had been intercepted while trying to smuggle 25 kg of gold worth about Rs 18 crore into India from Dubai, Afghanistan's Consul General in Mumbai has announced that she is stepping down.

In the past two years, some Afghan diplomats have left India as they obtained residency in third countries but the remaining diplomats have taken over the responsibility for continued functioning of the diplomatic missions of that country.

Several Western diplomats and the United Nations have strongly criticised Pakistan over its decision to impose hundreds of dollars in exit fees for every Afghan refugee who fled the persecution by the Taliban condemning the decision as "shocking

A group of senior American diplomats met representatives from the Taliban and technocratic professionals during which they discussed critical issues concerning Afghanistan's well-being and humanitarian crisis, the State Department said.

As the Afghan embassy in Delhi reels under a power struggle after the Taliban appointed a diplomat to head the mission in place of the incumbent, India on Friday said it is an "internal matter" of the embassy.

The US Department of Defence, also known as the Pentagon, is set to train former Afghan pilots in California and send them via Poland to conflict-ravaged Ukraine, Russian media agency Tass claimed citing a military diplomatic source.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said a team of Indian diplomats, except the ambassador, have gone to Afghanistan as India will continue its people-to-people relationship in view of its long historic ties with the Afghan society.

India on Thursday resumed its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a team in its embassy in the Afghan capital, over 10 months after it pulled out its officials from the mission following the Taliban's capture of power.

The Taliban said Thursday they had assured Beijing's most senior diplomat about any concerns China thinks may "emerge from Afghan soil", ahead of a key meeting with their neighbours next week.

Talks in Oslo Sunday between the Taliban and Afghan civil society members served as an "icebreaker", on the eve of their meeting with Western diplomats to discuss human rights and the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, an Afghan participant said.

A Taliban delegation arrived Saturday in Norway for three days of talks with Western diplomats and members of Afghan civil society, which it hopes will help "transform the atmosphere of war" in Afghanistan.

As China warmed up to the Taliban by stepping up aid and diplomatic support for Taliban's global recognition, Chinese firms are busy exploring contracts to exploit resource-rich Afghanistan's mineral deposits, official media in Beijing reported.

The Maldives recalled its top diplomat in Pakistan, official sources said Monday, after he had an unauthorised meeting with an Afghan envoy in Islamabad.

Afghanistan's embassy in London closed on Friday after Taliban authorities cut ties with diplomatic missions set up by the previous government in Kabul and fired its UK staff.

The Taliban government has severed consular ties with swathes of Afghan embassies in Western countries, Kabul said Tuesday, cutting off diplomats loyal to the former foreign-backed administration.

Soon after it came to light that she had been intercepted while trying to smuggle 25 kg of gold worth about Rs 18 crore into India from Dubai, Afghanistan's Consul General in Mumbai has announced that she is stepping down.

In the past two years, some Afghan diplomats have left India as they obtained residency in third countries but the remaining diplomats have taken over the responsibility for continued functioning of the diplomatic missions of that country.

Several Western diplomats and the United Nations have strongly criticised Pakistan over its decision to impose hundreds of dollars in exit fees for every Afghan refugee who fled the persecution by the Taliban condemning the decision as "shocking

A group of senior American diplomats met representatives from the Taliban and technocratic professionals during which they discussed critical issues concerning Afghanistan's well-being and humanitarian crisis, the State Department said.

As the Afghan embassy in Delhi reels under a power struggle after the Taliban appointed a diplomat to head the mission in place of the incumbent, India on Friday said it is an "internal matter" of the embassy.

The US Department of Defence, also known as the Pentagon, is set to train former Afghan pilots in California and send them via Poland to conflict-ravaged Ukraine, Russian media agency Tass claimed citing a military diplomatic source.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said a team of Indian diplomats, except the ambassador, have gone to Afghanistan as India will continue its people-to-people relationship in view of its long historic ties with the Afghan society.

India on Thursday resumed its diplomatic presence in Kabul by deploying a team in its embassy in the Afghan capital, over 10 months after it pulled out its officials from the mission following the Taliban's capture of power.

The Taliban said Thursday they had assured Beijing's most senior diplomat about any concerns China thinks may "emerge from Afghan soil", ahead of a key meeting with their neighbours next week.

Talks in Oslo Sunday between the Taliban and Afghan civil society members served as an "icebreaker", on the eve of their meeting with Western diplomats to discuss human rights and the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, an Afghan participant said.

A Taliban delegation arrived Saturday in Norway for three days of talks with Western diplomats and members of Afghan civil society, which it hopes will help "transform the atmosphere of war" in Afghanistan.

As China warmed up to the Taliban by stepping up aid and diplomatic support for Taliban's global recognition, Chinese firms are busy exploring contracts to exploit resource-rich Afghanistan's mineral deposits, official media in Beijing reported.