Amid Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's Foreign Minister, has strongly criticised international reports suggesting that Afghanistan has become a haven for terrorism and is witnessing widespread human rights violations.
During a meeting with employees of the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday, Muttaqi labelled these reports as "baseless" and "nonsense”.
Muttaqi claimed that various entities are trying to undermine the Taliban's achievements in security, counter-narcotics efforts, and major projects.
Last week, the UN Security Council's sanctions monitoring team released a 26-page report stating that Afghanistan remains a sanctuary for terrorists, with the Taliban's inability to control the situation reinvigorating groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Additionally, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan recently expressed concern over the worsening human rights situation in the country, indicating that such violence might constitute crimes against humanity.
Reports indicate that since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, terrorist groups have sought refuge in the country and are operating under Taliban protection. The Taliban have also been accused of enforcing gender apartheid by excluding women from public life.
Muttaqi questioned the data collection methods of Western organisations concerning human rights, women's rights, and the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. He stated, "These reports are taken from biased, dubious sources and enemies of Afghanistan and then published under the guise of documented reports."
He accused Western countries of unfairness, suggesting that if they are truly concerned about Afghanistan's situation, they should reopen their embassies in Kabul and assess the situation through diplomatic channels.
Muttaqi criticised countries advocating for human rights, accusing them of destroying Gaza and massacring 38,000 people. He claimed these countries highlight minor incidents in Afghanistan while ignoring the genocide in Gaza.
The UN Security Council's technical committee reported that Al-Qaeda has quietly re-established bases and offices in five provinces, including Kabul and Nangarhar, and has infiltrated the Taliban's Ministries of Defence, Interior, and Intelligence.
Previously, Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Afghanistan, stated during the 56th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that "violence against women and girls in Afghanistan is very severe and widespread”.
Bennett also noted that the Taliban have increased public executions and amputations.
