KABUL (SW) – The international travel exemption for the officials of the Islamic Emirate endorsed by the US has ended.
In 2019, the administration of former US President Donald Trump lifted sanctions imposed on a number of Islamic Emirate officials for their participation in peace talks.
In this exemption, out of 41 officials of the Islamic Emirate, only 14 of them had the right to participate in the peace talks with the United States and the former government of Afghanistan.
However, Heather Barr, Associate women’s rights director and former senior Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, told Salam Watandar that the exemption from travel bans for Islamic Emirate officials should not be extended. She added that the waiver was due to the peace talks and that now that no outcome had been reached and there was no longer a peace process, there was no reason to extend the waiver.
On the other hand, former Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallst wrote on Twitter that the travel exemption for Islamic Emirate officials should not be extended unconditionally. He added that the exemption comes as women and girls in Afghanistan find it difficult to leave their homes.
But Bilal Karimi, a deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said they hoped there would be no problem extending the exemption for Islamic Emirate officials. He emphasized that if an issue creates a gap between the Islamic Emirate and other countries, the international community knows the consequences.
The issue of exemption for travel of the leaders of the Islamic Emirate has provoked many reactions abroad as well.
Afrasiab Khattak, a Pakistani politician, wrote on Twitter that the Islamic Emirate has turned Afghanistan into a prison for women and girls, from which the Islamic Emirate deserves no privileges.
It is worth mentioning that US officials have not yet said anything about extending the travel exemption of the leaders of the Islamic Emirate. According to US media reports, the cabinet of President Joe Biden will hold a meeting in the coming days.
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