Afghanistan: Italy says Taliban government cannot be recognized

Weeks after the Taliban’s capture of Afghanistan at the heels of the withdrawal of Western forces, the insurgent group is looking to present itself as a government that would be accepted on the international stage. However, Italy has recently ruled out recognizing an Afghan government by the Taliban.

Speaking in the state-owned media outlet Rai 3 Sunday, Italian foreign minister Luigi Di Maio said that the Taliban government in Afghanistan cannot be recognized. Di Maio, however, noted that Afghans should start receiving the needed financial support that was previously frozen when the insurgent group took control of the country. As to why the Taliban government could not be recognized, Di Maio cited that there are still members of the insurgent group that are labeled as terrorists, as well as the human rights of Afghan women and girls.

“Recognition of the Taliban government is impossible since there are 17 terrorists among the ministers, and the human rights of women and girls are continuously violated,” said Di Maio.

“Clearly, we must prevent Afghanistan from implosion and from an uncontrolled flow of migration that could destabilize neighboring countries,” Di Maio added. “There are ways to guarantee financial support without giving money to the Taliban. We have also agreed that a part of humanitarian aid must always go to the protection of women and girls.”

Italy is looking to host a special summit in Afghanistan. Di Maio also noted that the member countries of the G20 alliance, including Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, are committed to fighting against terrorism and for the protection of human rights.

Meanwhile, the Taliban is now carrying out a crackdown on its most serious foe in the country, ISIS-K. This is despite the insurgent group assuring that security in Afghanistan is in place and that the country is no longer in the midst of conflict. However, those claims seemed to have been countered by the recent attacks coming from the extremist group, including one attack at Kabul airport that killed and injured dozens as the US and other western allies were in the midst of evacuation efforts.

Speaking with Al Jazeera, relatives of the victims from the attacks by ISIS-K questioned whether the insurgent group is able to take on the extremist group known for carrying out brazen attacks. Still, the Taliban has carried out a crackdown in an ISIS-K stronghold in Nangarhar, detaining around 80 supposed fighters for the group.