Reports of Taliban delegation to Brussels

Kabul Times News

Informed sources have reported that a five-member Taliban delegation is traveling to Brussels, the capital of Belgium. According to these sources, the delegation, headed by Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman for the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, will leave for Brussels from Turkey on Tuesday.

Official details about the goals and plans of the trip have not been released yet, but sources say that the members of the delegation are scheduled to participate in meetings and sessions focusing on political and diplomatic issues in Afghanistan.

The trip comes at a time when the Taliban continues to face widespread international criticism for the restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls. In the past five years, women have been deprived of many basic rights, including secondary and higher education, employment in various sectors, and participation in a number of social arenas.

At the same time, reports have also been published from Herat province that a number of women and girls have been detained by Taliban forces. According to these reports, the arrests were made for what the Taliban called “non-compliance with dress code guidelines.” Taliban officials have not yet provided further details about these cases.

The Taliban delegation’s visit to Brussels comes at a time when the issue of human rights, especially women’s rights, remains one of the most important areas of discussion between the Taliban and the international community, and many countries and international institutions have linked continued engagement with the Taliban to improving the human rights situation in Afghanistan.