Another Afghanistan embassy says it is closing after the Taliban rejected it

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Afghanistan’s Norway embassy is closing, the country’s second diplomatic mission to announce closure this week.

The move comes months after the Taliban said they no longer recognize diplomatic missions set up by the former, Western-backed government, including the one in Norway.

In a statement on the social media platform X, the embassy announced the closure would take place on Thursday.

“The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, like many other political and consular missions of Afghanistan, will continue its activities with the values of human rights, pluralism and peace, despite the many difficulties and limited resources,” the embassy statement said.

The embassy premises would be handed over to Norway’s Foreign Ministry, according to the statement in Dari.

The U.K. government said on Monday that the London embassy would close on Sept. 27, following the dismissal of its staff by the Taliban authorities in Kabul. Britain does not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.

Diplomats who served under the former Afghan government were left in limbo when the Taliban seized Kabul and returned to power in August 2021. Many embassies in Europe and beyond continued to operate, but have been accused by the Taliban in Kabul of failing to cooperate with the authorities.

The Taliban have sent ambassadors or diplomats to most countries in the region, including China and the United Arab Emirates.

The Taliban were not available for comment on the Oslo and London embassy closures.