This photo released by Afghan foreign affairs spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi on his official Twitter account shows Amir Khan Muttaqi (right), the Taliban administration's acting foreign minister, greeting Mutlaq Bin Majed Al-Qahtani, the special envoy of Qatar's foreign minister, at Storay Palace, in Kabul, Feb 5, 2023. (PHOTO / TWITTER@QAHARBALKHI)
KABUL – An envoy for Qatar's foreign affairs minister visited the Afghan capital on Sunday and met with the Taliban administration's acting foreign minister, according to an Afghan foreign ministry statement.
The visit comes after the Taliban administration placed restrictions on women's education and NGO work, which Qatar labeled "deeply concerning" amid widespread international criticism.
Qatar was home to the Taliban's political office since around 2012 when they were waging an insurgency against the Western-backed government until they seized power in 2021
Mutlaq Bin Majed Al-Qahtani, the special envoy of Qatar's foreign minister, took part in meetings with acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul, according to Afghan foreign affairs spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi.
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"Both sides discussed political coordination, the strength of the relationship and humanitarian aid," Balkhi said.
No foreign country has formally recognized the Taliban government, though Pakistan sent its foreign minister last year and the UN deputy special representative recently visited to discuss women's rights and aid.
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Qatar was home to the Taliban's political office since around 2012 when they were waging an insurgency against the Western-backed government until they seized power in 2021.