Negotiations with the Taliban on the situation in Afghanistan began in Oslo | News from Germany about Europe

A delegation of the radical Islamist movement “Taliban” on Saturday evening, January 22, arrived in the Norwegian capital Oslo to participate in three-day negotiations with Western officials and representatives of the Afghan civil society on the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and respect for human rights in the country.

The visit will be the first time the Taliban have met with Western diplomats in Europe since seizing power in Afghanistan in August 2021. The 15-member Taliban delegation is led by Amir Khan Muttaki, Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Interim Cabinet of Afghanistan.

Negotiations are held in one of the hotels in Oslo behind closed doors. On the first day, January 23, Taliban representatives will meet with women’s rights activists and human rights activists from the Afghan diaspora. Diplomats from Norway, the European Union, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the United States will also attend further meetings with the Taliban.

Afghan opposition criticizes Western officials

Afghan National Resistance Front spokesman Ali Maisam Nazari criticized Norway for holding the talks. “We must all raise our voices and prevent any country from normalizing a terrorist group as representatives of Afghanistan,” wrote living in Paris Nazarion your Twitter.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said that the upcoming meetings do not mean recognition of the interim government of Afghanistan formed by the Taliban. “But we must talk to the country’s de facto authorities. We cannot allow the political situation to lead to an even greater humanitarian catastrophe,” Huitfeldt said.

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How life has changed in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban
In a male society
Judging by the photographs and video materials of news agencies, the streets of Afghanistan have again become crowded and noisy. Restaurants in Herat appear to have reopened to diners. But what immediately catches the eye is that only men are sitting at the tables, some of them are dressed in the traditional Afghan kurta – a knee-length shirt. There are hardly any women on the streets.

How life has changed in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban
Learning – alone
These students at a private university in Kabul are separated from each other by a curtain from ceiling to floor: universities have already officially announced gender segregation. “Co-education is against the principles of Islam, as well as national values, customs and traditions,” Acting Higher Education Minister Abdul Baqi Haqqani said in Kabul.

How life has changed in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban
Lost rights and freedoms
On the way to the mosque in Herat: most of the rights and freedoms that women in Afghanistan gained during the years of the allied troops there were lost after the Taliban came to power. The Taliban have already banned women from playing sports and participating in social activities.

How life has changed in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban
Permanent control on the roads
Checkpoints and roadside checks have become a feature of the urban landscape in Afghanistan. People are afraid of the heavily armed Taliban – and therefore want to draw as little attention to themselves as possible. Western clothes are worn less and less.

How life has changed in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban
The Taliban seized the estate of their enemy
Many villas and palaces have changed owners. This greenhouse and estate in the Sherpur district of Kabul was recently owned by Abdul Rashid Dostum, an Afghan warlord and former vice president. The Taliban have taken over the home of one of their worst enemies. Dostum himself fled to Uzbekistan.

How life has changed in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban
Waiting for work
Day laborers sit on the side of a road in Kabul, hoping to be offered some work. After the Taliban came to power, Afghanistan is experiencing an economic crisis, and many residents of the country have been left without work. According to the UN, in the coming months, the population of Afghanistan will be threatened by rising food prices and poverty.

How life has changed in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban
Fight for your rights
The coming to power of the Taliban in many cities of the country was accompanied by protests – such as this one in front of the presidential palace in Kabul on 3 September. Afghan women activists are fighting for their right to education and work – despite the fact that the Taliban forcefully disperse peaceful demonstrations.

How life has changed in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban
The United Nations is concerned
According to the UN, the Taliban are increasingly cracking down on critics of the regime. Radical Islamists are using sticks, whips and live ammunition to disperse peaceful protests, the United Nations Office for Human Rights (UN) said. It is also reported that at least four demonstrators were killed.

How life has changed in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban
Who supports the Taliban
But there are those in Afghanistan who are quite satisfied with the coming to power of the Taliban. The women in the photo showed up accompanied by the Taliban to declare their full agreement with the group’s policies. Supporters of the Taliban do not support those women who fled the country, and claim that Sharia law fully ensures their safety.

How life has changed in Afghanistan since the arrival of the Taliban
Demonstrative support for the Taliban’s course
Before the start of the demonstration in support of the Taliban, some of its participants were taken to a lecture hall at a university in Kabul. Journalists were officially invited to cover the action. This contrasted sharply with the hostile attitude of the Taliban towards media representatives at the protests.
Author: Claudia Den, Marina Baranovskaya