Afghanistan’s Turkish embassy announced Thursday the definitive closure of its premises in Ankara following a decision by Turkish authorities, Agence France-Presse reported.
The embassy had continued to function for the last three and a half years with the same team that represented the Afghan state before the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
In a message posted to X, the embassy said the closure was due to a “decision by the host country.”
“After the events of 15 August 2021, due to the failed attempts by the Taliban to take control of the embassy and continual pressure put on the diplomats and employees of this embassy, as well as the pressure put on the Turkish government, the (Turkish) ministry of foreign affairs decided to end the mission of the ambassador to the Republic and this embassy’s diplomats,” added the message on X.
اعلامیه سفارت افغانستان – انقره جمهوری ترکیه
تاریخ: پنجشنیه ۶ فبروری ۲۰۲۵
هموطنان گرامی و مهاجرین محترم مقیم جمهوری ترکیه!
پس از تحولات ۱۵ اگست ۲۰۲۱ و روی کار آمدن حاکمیت طالبان تا اکنون، دیپلوماتان سفارت افغانستان در انقره به منظور جلوگیری از ایجادخلأ کاری و ادامه خدمت‌رسانی…
— Afghan Embassy Ankara (@AfghanEmbAnkara) February 6, 2025
Despite the announcement, the embassy appeared to be operating all day on Thursday.
Contacted by AFP, neither Turkey’s foreign ministry nor the Afghan diplomats made any statements.
A security guard at the embassy said that it was closing because “it does not comply with the Taliban regime.”
In its message on X, the embassy said it was ending its mission due to “the lack of a legitimate government based on the people’s will” in Afghanistan and thanked Turkey for its “support these last years.”
Turkey has maintained its own embassy in Kabul despite the Taliban’s return, as well as consulates in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat in the west.