Kabul
\nAfghanistan\u2019s embassy in India announced its \u201cpermanent closure\u201d Friday, more than two years after the Taliban returned to power in Kabul following the collapse of the Western-backed government.
\nMost foreign nations \u2014 including India \u2014 do not officially recognise Afghanistan\u2019s Taliban government, but acknowledge them as the de facto ruling authority.
\nThis has left many Afghan embassies and consulates in limbo, with diplomats appointed by the former government refusing to cede control of embassy buildings and property to representatives chosen by the Taliban authorities.
\n\u201cThe Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in New Delhi regrets to announce the permanent closure of its diplomatic mission in New Delhi,\u201d it said in a letter it posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
\nThe Taliban authorities have full control of around a dozen Afghan embassies abroad \u2014 including in Pakistan, China, Turkey and Iran.
\nOthers operate on a hybrid system, with the ambassador gone but embassy staff still carrying out routine consular work such as issuing visas and other documents.
\nThe letter said there were no diplomats left from the former government remaining in India, having all \u201csafely reached third countries\u201d.
\n\u201cThe only individuals present in India are diplomats affiliated with the Taliban\u201d, it said.
\nIt follows a statement last month that the embassy had suspended operations.
\n\u201cWe acknowledge the limitations and concerns that govern the realm of realpolitik and the balancing act required at a difficult time in a geo-politically sensitive region,\u201d the letter added.
\n\u201cTherefore, we firmly believe that the decision to close the mission in India at this stage and to transfer the custodial authority of the mission to the host country is in the best interests of Afghanistan.\u201d
\nNew Delhi evacuated its entire mission from Kabul as the Taliban closed in on the Afghan capital in August 2021, but last year sent back a small team to reopen its sprawling embassy.
\nMost foreign nations similarly withdrew diplomatic staff at the time and have not returned, although a handful of embassies \u2014 including Pakistan, China and Russia \u2014 never closed, and still have ambassadors in Kabul.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kabul Afghanistan\u2019s embassy in India announced its \u201cpermanent closure\u201d Friday, more than two years after the Taliban returned to power in Kabul following the collapse of the Western-backed government. Most foreign nations \u2014 including India \u2014 do not officially recognise Afghanistan\u2019s Taliban government, but acknowledge them as the de facto ruling authority. This has left […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":370270,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-370243","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n