UK officials talk to Taliban about Afghanistan humanitarian crisis

Senior British diplomats have met leading Taliban figures to discuss the “dire” humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

The UK does not recognise the Taliban regime which swept to power in 2020 amid chaotic scenes as Western forces pulled out of Kabul.

The United Nations’ World Food Programme has warned that 8.7 million people in Afghanistan are at risk of starvation.

Nick Dyer, the UK’s special envoy for famine prevention, Hugo Shorter, the charge d’affaires ad interim of the UK mission to Afghanistan and Hester Waddams, the deputy head of mission held talks with senior Taliban officials.

“UK representatives returned to Afghanistan today for talks on how to respond to the country’s deepening humanitarian crisis,” a Government spokesman said.

They met Taliban figures including foreign affairs chief Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and intelligence director Abdul Haq Wasiq.

“As well as discussing the dire humanitarian situation, officials made clear to the Taliban the UK’s serious concerns about human rights, including those of women, girls and minorities, and the treatment of women’s rights activists,” the spokesman said.