The Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has declared the termination of Hassan Soroosh, the Afghan ambassador appointed by the former government, from his position in Canada.
In an official document obtained by Afghanistan International, the ministry stated that Soroosh's tenure ended on September 5. The letter, issued by the Human Resources Directorate of the Taliban's Foreign Ministry on September 9, announced the decision.
It is unclear whether the Canadian government or the Afghan embassy in Ottawa will comply with the Taliban's request to end Soroosh's mission. The embassy, still under the administration of Soroosh, has not yet commented on the matter. Notably, the Afghan embassy in Canada had previously extended consular services to Afghan nationals in the US after the closure of the Afghan embassy and consulates there.
Earlier, the Taliban had declared that the consular services of 14 Afghan diplomatic missions abroad, including Canada, were no longer valid.
Canada has maintained a strict stance against the Taliban, compared to other Western countries. Observers note that Canada’s stringent anti-terrorism laws have even hindered the provision of humanitarian aid to the Afghan people.
In December 2022, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau labelled the Taliban as a terrorist group, stating that it should not receive humanitarian funding. He said, "We must work out how to help the communities and individuals suffering in Afghanistan without funding or supporting the terrorist organisation currently in control."
Trudeau acknowledged the complexity of the issue and noted that Canada, like some of its allies, was seeking a solution to these legal constraints.
In response, both the Canadian House of Commons and Senate passed an amendment in June last year that exempted aid organisations from Canada's anti-terrorism laws when delivering assistance to Afghans. The amendment ensured that aid groups were not considered "criminals" for paying taxes to the Taliban while providing humanitarian relief.
Canada has also strongly condemned the Taliban’s human rights violations, particularly those targeting women.
Earlier, in March of this year, Canadian newspapers reported that the government did not respond to a letter from the Taliban requesting the appointment of diplomats to the Afghan embassy and consulates in Canada.
Jason Kung, a spokesperson for Canada’s Foreign Ministry, reaffirmed that the country does not recognise the Taliban as a legitimate government.
In recent months, the Taliban have been attempting to exert pressure on Afghan diplomatic missions in Europe and Canada in an effort to take control of these embassies.
