KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban-run Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Saturday that consular services will resume next week at the Afghanistan embassy in Oslo, though it remained unclear whether the diplomatic mission will now operate under Taliban control.
In a statement, the ministry described the reopening — scheduled for Monday — as a “positive step,” but did not clarify who would be overseeing embassy operations.
The announcement follows reports that the Taliban have sent formal communications to several European governments, urging them to engage in dialogue over the status of Afghan diplomatic missions abroad. According to a senior Afghan diplomat, Norway and Germany had encouraged embassies to hold technical discussions with the Taliban to address ongoing administrative issues.
As of late last year, diplomats appointed under the previous Afghan republic continued to staff embassies in countries including Germany and Norway. At the time, sources said there were no plans to close or transfer control of the missions. Some European nations had even advised Afghan diplomatic staff to disregard correspondence from the Taliban, citing concerns over their lack of international legitimacy.
However, with formal recognition from the international community still elusive, the Taliban appear to be increasing efforts to assert control over Afghanistan’s embassies in Europe.
