Taliban delegation heads to Brussels for first EU talks focused on Afghan deportations

A Taliban delegation held closed-door talks with European Union officials and representatives of 15 EU countries in Brussels on Tuesday, with discussions centred on diplomatic services and what the Taliban called a "dignified return process" for Afghans being sent back from Europe. The meeting comes as a growing number of governments in the 27-member bloc want faster and higher deportations of Afghans whose asylum claims are rejected or who commit crimes in their host countries.

The talks also drew sharp criticism from rights groups and activists, who said any engagement with the Taliban should focus on human rights and accountability rather than returns. No EU country recognises the Taliban government, and Belgian authorities stressed that allowing the meeting to take place did not amount to recognition or legitimacy.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Taliban Foreign Ministry, described the visit as "historic" and said it was the first time a delegation from the Islamic Emirate had held talks with the EU and EU nations in Brussels. Balkhi, who led the five-member delegation, said the talks focused on "trust-building measures", the Taliban's diplomatic presence in the EU and a "dignified return process". The meeting was held at an undisclosed location in the Belgian capital, where the EU and NATO are headquartered.