KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban on Tuesday barred a group of 14 individuals from traveling to Doha to attend a meeting of the Afghanistan Future Thought Forum, sources confirmed to Amu TV.
According to one source, some members of the delegation were stopped inside a FlyDubai aircraft and forced to disembark, while others, who were set to fly with Air Arabia, were prevented from boarding altogether.
Among the 14 individuals, two were women, the source said. Those blocked from traveling include Faiz Mohammad Zaland, Aziz Ahmad Haneef, Nazar Mohammad Motmaeen, Injila Ahmadi, and Madina Mahbubi, while Jafar Mahdawi was the only member of the delegation allowed to reach Doha.
Sources suggest that the Taliban’s decision to block the delegation stemmed from two key factors: the presence of women in the group and internal power struggles between the Haqqani network and figures loyal to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Taliban forces affiliated with Akhundzada, who have recently taken control of Kabul International Airport, were reportedly behind the move to prevent the delegation’s departure.
The Afghanistan Future Thought Forum is a 30-member initiative comprising former government officials, civil society activists, and academics. The forum seeks to analyze Afghanistan’s key challenges and opportunities and provides policy recommendations to both the Taliban and the international community.
The forum has previously held several meetings worldwide, including January 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey, where discussions focused on the UN special coordinator’s report on Afghanistan, the mass deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and Iran, and the impact of Taliban restrictions on women’s healthcare.
Another event happened in February 2023 in Doha, Qatar, where participants called for an end to the Taliban’s bans on girls’ education and women’s employment, while emphasizing the need for inclusive governance to ensure lasting peace.
One session happened in May 2024 in Oslo, Norway, where discussions centered on women’s right to work and access to education.
Faiz Mohammad Osmani, one of the participants at the forum’s May 2024 meeting in Norway, told Amu that discussions focused on Afghanistan’s future and the exchange of ideas on key national issues.
The Taliban have not taken an official position on the Afghanistan Future Thought Forum, but their latest move to block delegates from traveling suggests growing unease with such gatherings.
