Taliban delegation arrives in Europe for first time since seizing power in Afghanistan

On an official visit, one of the Taliban's leaders will try to unfreeze Afghan funds held in the US in exchange for promises to respect human rights.

A Taliban delegation led by so-called "acting foreign minister" Amir Khan Muttaqi has begun three days of talks in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, with officials from Western governments and representatives of Afghan civil society. This is reported by Yevropeiska Pravda.

Starting on Sunday, at closed-door meetings in the Norwegian capital, Taliban representatives will meet with women's rights activists and human rights defenders from Afghanistan and the Afghan diaspora.

According to local media, the delegation will face demands to adhere to promises to protect human rights in exchange for access to billions of dollars in frozen humanitarian aid.

"The West's leverage over the Taliban is almost $10 billion in Afghan money, which is held mainly in the United States," commented a correspondent for a Norwegian TV channel.

Amir Khan Muttaqi will try to recover some of these funds to pay salaries to civil servants and ensure the country has enough food, as the humanitarian situation worsens.

During their first visit to Europe since seizing power in August, the Taliban will meet with officials from Norway, as well as representatives of the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Italy and the European Union.

"In Norway we will have meetings with the United States, as well as with the European Union on issues of mutual interest. And part of our meetings will be with our Afghan diaspora, which is located outside the country, especially in Europe," — said Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban representative.

The Taliban were ousted in the US-led invasion in 2001, but returned to power in August 2021, when international troops began their final withdrawal from the country.