Taliban orders suspension of Swedish activities in Afghanistan over Quran burning incident

New Delhi: In response to the recent burning of the Quran outside a mosque in Stockholm, Sweden, the Taliban administration has declared that all activities carried out by Sweden in Afghanistan must come to a halt.

Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban administration, conveyed this directive in an official statement, citing the insulting of the holy Quran and the permission granted for the derogatory acts against Muslim beliefs. Consequently, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has ordered the cessation of all Swedish activities within the country.

Sweden, which no longer maintains an open embassy in Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover in 2021, is expected not to be significantly impacted by this order.

The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, a non-governmental organization actively engaged in healthcare, education, and rural development, is likely to experience operational disruptions due to the ban. The organization currently employs thousands of aid workers throughout Afghanistan.

The Quran burning incident, which occurred last month outside a mosque in Stockholm, sparked outrage in the Muslim world. An Iraqi immigrant residing in Sweden was responsible for this act, further straining relations between communities.

Effective immediately on July 11, the Taliban government has suspended all Swedish activities across the nation as a way of condemning the desecration of the holy Quran.

The suspension will persist until the Swedish government issues an apology for the incident.

Sweden has maintained a limited presence in Afghanistan, with military forces departing in May 2021 and diplomats and citizens evacuated in August of the same year.

Additionally, the Swedish embassy in Afghanistan was closed. Since 2006, Sweden has advised against all travel to Afghanistan due to security concerns. This latest development is expected to compound the challenges faced by local and international aid organizations, further hindering the delivery of vital assistance.