The Taliban have attended a European Union meeting in Brussels on migration and the deportation of Afghan refugees for the first time, according to Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Balkhi told a German journalist on Tuesday, June 23, that the delegation traveled to Brussels the same day.
He said the main focus of the discussions was the resumption of broader consular services for Afghan citizens living in European Union member states.
He added that the Taliban had initially postponed the visit. The group later agreed to a very short one-day trip because of concerns about the Belgian authorities’ capacity to provide security, logistics, and protocol arrangements.
Balkhi described the visit as historically significant, saying it marked the first time a Taliban delegation had traveled to the European Union and held talks with EU member states in Brussels.
He expressed hope that the meeting would help create a positive process for protecting the consular rights of Afghan citizens living abroad.
Reports indicate that, due to pressure and protests from Afghans living in Europe, Belgian authorities issued visas to the Taliban delegation for only one day, although the delegation had originally planned to remain in the country for several days.
The visit has prompted widespread criticism from human rights activists and several European political figures.
Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, previously said that the European Commission’s invitation to the Taliban to participate in migration talks sends “the wrong message” at an inappropriate time.
Meanwhile, groups of Afghan citizens in several European countries organized protests in solidarity with Afghan women. They called for the cancellation of invitations extended to the Taliban for international meetings and forums, particularly within the European Parliament.
Hannah Neumann, a member of the European Parliament, also criticized the invitation. She said there is no such thing as purely technical dialogue with the Taliban and argued that every invitation, visa issuance, and official meeting carries a political message.
At the same time, many Afghans living under Taliban rule continue to face difficult and concerning conditions. Residents say social and legal restrictions have reached unprecedented levels, limiting access to basic freedoms, particularly for women.
