Turkey ends Afghan diplomats' mission, paving way for Taliban to appoint their own team Turkey has terminated the mission of Afghan diplomats who were appointed by Afghanistan’s former, pro-Western government, the outgoing diplomatic team said, in a move that paves the way for the Taliban to appoint their own envoys.
“Due to the failed attempts of the Taliban to gain control of the embassy and the continuous pressure on the diplomats and employees of this embassy, as well as their pressure on the Turkish government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey has recently decided to terminate the mission of the ambassador and diplomats of this embassy,” the departing team said.
The unusually strongly-worded statement said that the decision by Turkey's government to end the mission was the result of pressure by the Taliban on the diplomats and Turkish officials.
“The Embassy of Afghanistan in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, continues its activities as usual and is at the service of its citizens and other clients,” Zakir Jalali, a senior ministry official, said in a statement.
In Kabul, the Taliban-led Foreign Ministry said that “a change in the diplomatic staff in the diplomatic missions of countries is a normal practice.”.
