Afghan residents in Austria staged a protest outside the United Nations office in Vienna on Thursday, denouncing the mass deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran and Pakistan and calling for humane treatment.
The demonstrators carried photographs of migrants who recently died in Iran and chanted slogans such as “Afghan migrants are human too” and “Silence in the face of oppression is complicity.” Protesters condemned what they described as violent and discriminatory actions by certain Iranian institutions and citizens against Afghan nationals.
Organisers called on both Iran and Pakistan to ensure Afghan migrants are treated with dignity and respect. They also urged the United Nations to take immediate and practical steps to uphold the rights of Afghan migrants facing forced return.
The protesters expressed particular concern over deportations from Iran, Pakistan, and Tajikistan, which they said are placing thousands of vulnerable Afghans at risk.
A similar demonstration was held a day earlier in Hamburg, Germany, where Afghan asylum seekers voiced opposition to increasing deportations of their compatriots from neighbouring countries.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has said that the Afghan Taliban have shown a willingness to address Islamabad’s concerns over the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants operating from Afghan territory.
The announcement followed a recent visit by Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, to Kabul, where he held talks with senior Taliban officials, including Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. Discussions focused on cross-border security, the threat posed by the TTP, and ongoing efforts to counter drug trafficking.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, speaking at a press conference on Thursday, said the Afghan Taliban were “receptive” to the concerns raised and that active engagement between the two sides was ongoing. He acknowledged that terrorist sanctuaries across the border remain one of the key stumbling blocks in bilateral relations.
Pakistani officials have described the Taliban’s latest position as offering cautious optimism on what remains one of the most contentious issues between the two governments.
Islamabad has long accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering TTP militants since the group’s return to power nearly four years ago. The breakdown of a brief ceasefire between the Pakistani government and TTP in November 2022 further escalated tensions. Authorities in Pakistan estimate that approximately 4,000 TTP fighters are currently active within Afghanistan.
Pakistani officials have warned that continued cross-border militancy could undermine diplomatic ties with the Taliban administration.
While Islamabad pushes for decisive action, the Afghan Taliban have consistently denied the presence of TTP or any other foreign terrorist groups on Afghan soil.
China’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, met with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul to discuss cooperation with the international community, regional diplomacy, and Afghanistan’s reconstruction and stability.
In a statement on Friday, Xiaoyong described the meeting on his X account as “very good” and noted that it followed recent trilateral talks involving the foreign ministers of China, the Taliban, and Pakistan. Those discussions focused on enhancing cooperation among neighbouring countries and fostering broader international engagement for Afghanistan’s recovery.
According to a press release from the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, the two sides discussed strengthening bilateral ties based on political relations, economic collaboration, and mutual interests. The Chinese envoy reportedly reiterated Beijing’s commitment to continued political and economic support for Afghanistan under the principle of good neighbourliness.
The trilateral meeting, held in Beijing in May, marked a notable step in regional diplomacy. Following the talks, the Taliban and Pakistan upgraded their diplomatic relations to the ambassadorial level.
While nearly four years have passed since the Taliban took power in August 2021, no country other than Russia has officially recognised the group as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. However, China remains one of the Taliban’s closest international partners.
Beijing has consistently called for the easing of international sanctions on the Taliban and has supported broader diplomatic engagement.
The United Arab Emirates has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Afghan refugees, following reports suggesting some may face deportation or possible handover to the Taliban.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UAE said it has hosted more than 17,000 Afghan migrants in Abu Dhabi since 2021 and spent nearly 1.35 billion dirhams (approximately USD 367 million) on hosting and relocating them to third countries.
The ministry emphasised that Afghan refugees have been provided with comprehensive services at Abu Dhabi’s Humanitarian City, including healthcare, education, housing, food, and logistical and diplomatic support. The statement did not address claims regarding the potential deportation of Afghan nationals still awaiting resettlement.
Concerns were raised after the media outlet Just the News reported that UAE authorities were preparing to transfer some Afghan refugees to the Taliban. US President Donald Trump responded to the report on 20 July via his social media platform, Truth Social, stating his intention to intervene on behalf of the refugees.
The UAE-based newspaper The National also reported that the foreign ministry reiterated its ongoing humanitarian support and the dignified treatment of Afghan migrants in the country.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, thousands of Afghans were evacuated to the UAE on US and NATO military flights. Many have since been awaiting resettlement to the United States, Canada, and European nations.
Afghan refugees in the UAE have repeatedly voiced frustration over their prolonged and uncertain status, urging Western governments, particularly the United States, to expedite relocation processes.
During his presidency, Trump ended the large-scale resettlement programme for Afghan allies and their families and revoked Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals. As a result, over 14,000 Afghans who entered the United States irregularly remain at risk of deportation.
The German Foreign Ministry has confirmed that two Taliban-appointed diplomats have entered Germany and will begin their consular duties after completing administrative formalities.
In a statement issued on Thursday in response to a query from Afghanistan International, the ministry said the decision aims to ensure that Afghan citizens residing in Germany have access to basic consular services. The ministry clarified that the acceptance of the diplomats does not signify formal recognition of the Taliban regime.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the number of staff in Afghanistan’s diplomatic missions in Germany is limited. To address ongoing consular needs, the German government approved the addition of two new personnel to the Afghan Embassy in Berlin and the Afghan Consulate in Bonn.
The move follows Germany’s announcement that it would resume deportations of Afghan and Syrian asylum seekers convicted of crimes, after recent attacks involving Islamist offenders. However, without official relations with the Taliban, Germany had been unable to facilitate deportations to Afghanistan until now.
Stefan Kornelius, a spokesperson for the German government, stated that the Taliban diplomats will help facilitate deportation processes, particularly for Afghan migrants with criminal records.
The German Foreign Ministry acknowledged ongoing concerns regarding Taliban control over Afghan diplomatic missions abroad. It noted that Afghanistan’s embassy and consulates in Germany remain operational and are still managed, in part, by diplomats who were accredited before the Taliban took power in August 2021.
The arrival of Taliban-appointed diplomats has sparked internal tensions. Diplomatic sources told Afghanistan International that staff at the Afghan Consulate in Bonn have decided to collectively resign in protest. The mission is expected to formally notify the German government of their decision.
Previously, Yama Yari, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Germany, resigned under pressure from the German government. The inclusion of Taliban personnel has renewed divisions within Afghan diplomatic missions in the country.
If these resignations proceed, consular services such as passport issuance for Afghan refugees in Germany may be disrupted. It remains unclear whether the German government will allow additional Taliban diplomats to fill potential staffing gaps.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it will only engage with Afghan diplomatic missions that adhere to its directives.
The Taliban have arrested and sentenced Abdul Sami Ghaznawi, a prominent cleric who has served as a mentor to many of the group’s members for more than three decades, according to informed sources.
Sources told Afghanistan International that Ghaznawi was detained on 17 July from his madrassa in Kabul. A Taliban military court sentenced him on 23 July to 45 days in prison. He was reportedly tried for issuing a “fatwa for jihad against Pakistan” and for publicly criticising the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education.
Initial reports suggest that some Taliban security officials in Kabul were reluctant to arrest Ghaznawi, citing his role as a former religious instructor. However, a team of Taliban intelligence agents from Kandahar, allegedly acting on orders from the group's supreme leader, ultimately carried out the arrest.
In a prior video statement, Ghaznawi accused Khalifa Din Muhammad and members of the Saifiya Sufi order of spreading superstitions and “polytheism” a charge that some observers say may have contributed to his detention.
The cleric’s arrest has sparked internal criticism from Taliban officials and supporters.
Rahmatullah Andar, a former Taliban commander and ex-spokesperson for the previous Afghan government’s National Security Council, condemned the decision, writing: “Abdul Sami Ghaznawi’s only fault was that he did not interpret religion as Hibatullah Akhundzada wanted.” He warned that if the Taliban treat their own teachers this way, their treatment of others will be far worse.
Omid Zaland, a known Taliban supporter, wrote that the order came from leaders who have “strayed from their path” and said the Taliban leadership has become increasingly sensitive about the term “jihad” since coming to power.
Ghaznawi has long promoted the idea of jihad against Pakistan. In a recent speech, he argued that declaring jihad does not require a formal fatwa from an emir, stating that Islamic conditions for jihad are clearly defined and “not bound by time or place.”
This is not the first time Ghaznawi has faced arrest. Sources say he was also briefly detained by the Taliban last year.