Taliban representatives held their first talks with European Union officials in Brussels, discussing the deportation of Afghan refugees who have violated laws back to their homeland.
On Tuesday, 23 Jun 2026 GMT+7, a delegation from the Taliban government of Afghanistan held its first talks with the European Union (EU) in Brussels, focusing on the deportation of Afghan refugees amid strong criticism from human rights activists.
Taliban officials revealed that Tuesday's meeting focused on diplomatic services and the "dignified" repatriation of Afghans residing in Europe.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called the visit a “historic” occasion, noting it was the first time an Afghan government delegation negotiated with the European Commission and EU member states in Brussels.
The European Union and its member states have not officially recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's government since they regained power in 2021, following a 20-year war with the previous US-backed Afghan administration.
The EU stated that initiating limited talks with Afghanistan's "de facto authorities" is necessary for the process of deporting asylum seekers who commit crimes or are deemed dangerous individuals.
A European Commission spokesperson said that EU officials and representatives from 15 member states participated in a confidential meeting in Brussels, continuing discussions from a prior meeting in Kabul in January.
“The European Commission services and Sweden co-chaired today's technical-level meeting in Brussels, alongside technical representatives from Afghanistan’s de facto authorities responsible for returns and readmissions,” the spokesperson said.
However, the Taliban foreign ministry spokesperson outlined a broader agenda, including talks on establishing consular delegations in the EU, restoring consular services for Afghans living there, and the "need for confidence-building measures."
Afghans are among the largest groups of migrants seeking asylum in the EU, but more European governments are now pushing to accelerate and increase deportations of rejected asylum seekers or those who commit crimes in host countries.
Several human rights organizations condemned the meeting, stating it legitimizes the Taliban and violates the EU's human rights obligations, potentially endangering people both in Europe and Afghanistan.
“Any interaction with the Taliban must prioritize human rights protection and accountability, not the deportation of people back to danger,” said Fereshteh Abbasi, a researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“EU member states are damaging their credibility by condemning Taliban abuses on one hand, while cooperating with the Taliban to forcibly return Afghans on the other.”
Afghan activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai said on Monday that she felt “deeply disturbed” by the EU opening talks with the Taliban.
“Europe must not legitimize the regime responsible for one of the world’s worst human rights crises. Any engagement with the Taliban must begin and end with the rights of Afghan women and girls,” she wrote on the platform X.
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Source:aljazeera