Norwegian Diplomat Advises Taliban On Strengthening Ties With Europe, Group Claims

According to sources speaking to Afghanistan International, the teenager, identified as Mahdi, was shot dead by Taliban forces last Wednesday near the Jaghori district centre. His body was later handed over to his family with instructions to bury him quietly and without funeral prayers.

Taliban officials in the area have yet to comment on the incident. However, local elders summoned by the group were told that Mahdi was killed for allegedly launching an armed attack on the district office, and for reportedly planning a larger assault. The Taliban claimed Mahdi and another individual opened fire on the district compound before fleeing. One was shot dead, and the other allegedly escaped.

Contrary to these claims, several local sources maintain that Mahdi was merely riding past the district office on a motorcycle when he failed to stop at a Taliban checkpoint. He was shot and killed on the spot, according to eyewitnesses. Photographs seen by Afghanistan International show visible gunshot wounds on his body.

Following the incident, the Taliban reportedly detained 12 of Mahdi’s classmates and relatives—most of them students—and transferred them to a prison facility in Ghazni city.

In a broader crackdown, sources also report that the Taliban have instructed residents to report any unfamiliar visitors to the district. Additionally, local money transfer agents have been ordered to provide Taliban intelligence with full details of remittances received from abroad.

The incident has sparked fear and anger in the community, though no official condemnation has yet been issued by human rights organisations or international observers.

The group claims the accused are being punished for committing “various criminal offences,” although no specific charges have been disclosed.

The Taliban has explicitly banned spectators from carrying smartphones or video cameras to the event, warning that violators will face punishment. The authorities have not provided any transparency regarding the legal proceedings or evidence presented against the accused.

This follows a similar incident on 12 April, when the Taliban publicly flogged 13 people, including five women, in the provinces of Jowzjan and Khost. According to the group’s courts, two women in Darzab district of Jowzjan were punished for alleged extramarital relations and fleeing home. In Khost, two men and one woman were convicted of extramarital sex, while six men and two women were flogged for alleged “illicit relationships.”

Despite ongoing international condemnation of corporal punishment and torture, the Taliban continues to carry out public lashings as a tool of intimidation. The group’s Supreme Court provides no details regarding the judicial process, the presence of defence lawyers, or whether fair trials were conducted.

International organisations have repeatedly raised concerns over the absence of due process and fair trial standards in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

The organisation has specifically called on European nations—particularly Germany—to thoroughly and seriously review the immigration files of those suspected of lobbying on behalf of the Taliban.

In a statement released on Tuesday, HRAU expressed deep concern over “a new phase of targeted and organised movements abroad aimed at the soft occupation of Afghanistan’s diplomatic missions by Taliban appointees.”

The union warned that individuals presenting themselves as journalists, analysts, or civil society activists are engaging in covert lobbying for the Taliban. According to HRAU, these individuals operate under the guise of media, civil, or seemingly neutral activities while actively working to sanitise the image of a regime it described as “misogynistic, ethnocentric, and a blatant violator of human rights.”

HRAU highlighted that some of these so-called activists freely travel to Kabul and even participate in ceremonies glorifying the Taliban’s “suicide brigades.” It alleged that such actors are working in direct coordination with Taliban officials to manipulate public perception of the current situation in Afghanistan.

The group issued a strong appeal to international human rights bodies, independent media, and European governments—most notably the German federal government—to take swift and firm action. It urged authorities to “Thoroughly review the immigration cases of certain individuals and, by enforcing legal and regulatory restrictions, prevent their political and propaganda abuses on European soil, in order to curb the spread of extremism.”

This statement comes amid reports that the Taliban has taken control of several Afghan diplomatic missions across Europe. In an apparent attempt to project a peaceful and modern image to the international community, the Taliban has allowed influencers—including YouTubers, celebrities, and even adult film stars—to visit Afghanistan and post content promoting the country as safe and welcoming.

Many of these social media personalities—particularly women—share photos and videos from various Afghan provinces. However, such portrayals stand in stark contrast to the domestic reality, where Afghan women and girls remain banned from many public and recreational spaces, such as the popular Band-e Amir National Park.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the ministry asserted that the implementation of the death penalty is an integral and non-negotiable part of Islamic Sharia law. It called on UNAMA to refrain from issuing similar criticisms in the future.

The ministry confirmed that four individuals were executed in the provinces of Badghis, Nimruz, and Farah after what it described as a “thorough judicial process.” It claimed the cases passed through three levels of court proceedings and that the accused had access to legal defence throughout all stages.

The Taliban warned UNAMA that public criticism of Sharia-based rulings contradicts the mission’s role and constitutes behaviour that the group considers “intolerable.” The statement added that the Taliban views the enforcement of Sharia punishments, including the death penalty, as a religious obligation.

Citing what it called the “proven effectiveness” of capital punishment in ensuring justice and maintaining social order, the Taliban defended its use of executions as a means of upholding Islamic legal principles.

The comments follow a statement by UNAMA condemning the execution of four men by the Taliban across three provinces. Two of the men were executed publicly in Qala-e-Naw, the capital of Badghis; another in Zaranj, Nimruz; and one in the city of Farah.

UNAMA said the executions violated the fundamental right to life and called on the Taliban to impose an immediate moratorium on the death penalty in Afghanistan.

The executions have drawn widespread condemnation from international human rights organisations and several governments.

In a post published on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Khalilzad wrote: "Knowledgeable people tell me that they are concerned that the Pakistan establishment might well be using the expulsion of Afghan refugees as a cover to send ISIS terrorist to Afghanistan. I share this concern."

The remarks come amid increasing scrutiny over the humanitarian and security implications of Pakistan’s mass deportation campaign, which has seen hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghan nationals forced to leave the country.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, ISIS has carried out numerous deadly attacks across the country.

Pakistan has previously accused the Taliban of failing to curb the growing threat posed by ISIS. In March 2025, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Munir Akram, warned of rising terrorist threats originating from Afghan soil. He asserted that the Taliban had been ineffective in controlling ISIS and alleged Taliban collusion in attacks conducted by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) against Pakistan.

Akram called for the UN Security Council to urgently address the threat of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.

The Taliban, however, have repeatedly denied such accusations and claim to have taken significant steps to eliminate ISIS presence within the country.