Saudi Arabia has evacuated all its embassy staff in Afghanistan, a reliable source confirmed to Hasht-e Subh on Sunday.
All diplomats and staff members of the Saudi Arabian embassy in Kabul were evacuated on Wednesday after the Taliban barred all female employees of the embassy from working.
“Apparently, the Saudis have closed their embassy in response to the ban on female employees working with international Organizations,” the source added. “But it is also believed that the evacuation was done based on a pre-planned arrangement.”
The source also suggests the possibility that Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Kabul may have been closed due to increased security threats.
On a Kam Air flight, all Saudi Arabian embassy employees were transferred to Riyadh, the source detailed.
Nevertheless, the source reported that Saudi Arabia has become angry with the Taliban after they ignored Riyadh’s approach since August 15, 2021.”
Taliban members anticipate the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Kabul returning to its normal activities in the next few days.
As reported by the source, the Taliban are reportedly willing to provide guarantees for the Saudi Arabia for the reopening of its embassy.
Furthermore, the source stated that the Taliban’s disregard for protocols in dealing with the Qatari government led to the closure of the embassy.
In addition, the government of Saudi Arabia and the Taliban have not officially commented on this matter.
During the 1990s, Saudi Arabia was one of the main supporters of the Taliban regime. But now, compared to countries like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, it has adopted a more cautious approach toward the Taliban.
