New Delhi: The Afghan embassy in New Delhi, which is being run by diplomats from the previous democratic regime in Kabul, is expected to close down within the next two days, ThePrint has learnt. This comes months after a power tussle emerged between the previous Afghan democratic government and the Taliban regime.
According to sources within the Afghan embassy, a letter was sent from the mission to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Wednesday to close down the embassy by 30 September.
ThePrint contacted MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi to confirm receipt of the letter, but he declined to comment. ThePrint also reached Afghan ambassador Farid Mamundzay — currently in London — via WhatsApp, but got no response.
MEA sources told ThePrint that it is examining the “authenticity of the communication” from the Afghan embassy.
“The Afghan Embassy in New Delhi has purportedly issued a communication on this issue. The authenticity of the communication and its contents are being examined,” said sources.
“This is in the context of the Ambassador being out of India for the past many months, steady departure of diplomats to third countries reportedly after receiving asylum, as well as reports of infighting among embassy personnel,” he added.
Embassy sources told ThePrint that three Afghan diplomats remain in the embassy — Anwar Sadat, Sediqullah Sahar and Mosa Naimi. The first two are expected to leave New Delhi on Thursday night for France, the sources added.
“On Ambassador Mamundzay’s instruction, the diplomats have written to the MEA to close down the embassy by 30 September,” the sources further said.
The development comes days after ThePrint reported Sunday that staff in the embassy were abruptly dismissed from service.
Confirming the dismissals, Mamundzay told ThePrint at the time: “There is a lack of available funding both from Kabul and other sources. Additionally, the revenue generated by the mission is insufficient to cover all operational expenses. These factors have left us with no alternative but to implement these layoffs.”
The Indian staff claim they were sacked without notice and were denied entry into the mission last Friday.
Meanwhile, corruption allegations have also emerged against Mamundzay, which he declined in a statement to ThePrint last week. He suggested these allegations are part of a broader agenda “in favour of Taliban’s motive to take over the mission”.
“The timing raises questions about the motives behind these claims, particularly when they’re being raised after a significant period,” he said at the time.
Earlier, in late April, a crisis broke out in the embassy when Mamundzay’s trade counsellor, Qadir Shah, wrote to the MEA claiming to have been appointed as charge d’affaires (CDA) by the Taliban government. The “appointment” was later appreciated by Suhail Shaheen, head of the Taliban’s political office in Doha, who called it a “rational” decision.
This occurred when Mamundzay — appointed by Afghanistan’s previous democratic government — was visiting his family in London.
In May, Mamundzay returned and his trade counsellor was prohibited from entering the embassy. However, he subsequently went back to London and has not returned to India for the past three months. This had sparked rumours that he had gone “missing”.
This is an updated version of the report.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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