Saudi Arabia shuts embassy in Kabul, diplomats may relocate to Pakistani capital: Reports
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic have shut their embassies in Afghanistan which is seen as a considerable setback for Kabul’s diplomatic relations with other nations, reported ANI citing Tolo News. Additionally, reports also suggest that one of the major reasons for Saudi Arabia to do so is the Taliban’s ban on women in workplaces across Afghanistan. While another report says it is security concerns which contributed to their decision to leave.
A report by CNN-News18 citing diplomatic sources said that it was the ban on women in workspaces which forced Saudi Arabia to shut its embassy in Kabul as some female employees were working there. However, a spokesperson for the Taliban administration, Zabiullah Mujahid, on Monday (February 5) asserted that some Saudi diplomats left for “a kind of training” and will return.
Meanwhile, a report by Reuters citing a diplomatic source and two others familiar with the matter said that Saudi Arabia's diplomats had left by air and relocated to Pakistan, last week amid warnings of heightened risks of attacks in the Afghan capital Kabul. Since the Taliban took over in 2021 only a few countries have maintained a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan including, China, Russia, Turkiye, Pakistan, and Iran, as per media reports.
Earlier, the Czech government also announced that it has closed its embassy in Kabul, while other countries run their offices from Pakistan and Qatar. It was also not immediately made clear how many Saudi diplomats have left Afghanistan or how long they were meant to be outside Kabul. This comes a year after two Russian embassy staff members and four others were killed in a suicide bombing at the consulate’s front gate, the attack was later claimed by the Islamic State militant group.
(With inputs from agencies)
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