World

UN officials photographed with Taliban flag during Afghanistan visit, apology issued

January 21, 2023
Bharat Times

KabulThe United Nations (UN) has apologized for a “significant lapse in judgement” after photographs surfaced of some of its personnel posing in front of Taliban flags in Afghanistan. The apology followed a four-day visit to the war-torn country by Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, the highest-ranking woman at the UN, as well as Sima Bahous, the executive director of UN Women, and the UN assistant secretary-general. Department of Political, Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Khalid Khyari.

During the visit, the delegation met with Taliban leaders in Kabul and Kandahar and expressed their concern over recent restrictions on education and work for women and girls across the country. However, photographs of some UN security personnel in front of Taliban flags drew criticism and an apology.

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Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the picture was taken when the deputy secretary-general was meeting with the actual leaders in Afghanistan.

He said that the picture should never have been taken and that it was a mistake.

The head of foreign relations of Afghanistan’s National Resistance Front, Ali Maisam Nazri, took to Twitter to express his concerns, saying, “UN personnel in Kabul take a picture with a flag of a terrorist group, which represents the UN Brings fairness and integrity into question.” Nazri also called for an investigation by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to prevent such actions in the future.

During the visit, the UN delegation expressed concern over the Taliban’s recent decree banning women from working for national and international non-governmental organizations, a move which the UN said would harm those helping millions of vulnerable Afghans. Undermines the work of many organizations.

(with agency inputs)