The Taliban interim government, in power in Afghanistan, on Tuesday banned all Swedish activities, including non-governmental organizations, in the country following the burning of the Koran in Stockholm.
“After insulting the Holy Quran and the Muslim faith in Sweden, the Islamic Emirate (as the Taliban government calls itself) suspends all Swedish activities in Afghanistan until an apology is made for this heinous act,” the Kabul government said in a statement. release.
However, the deputy spokesman for the Taliban, Bilal Karimi, told the Spanish agency EFE that the decision is effective “from the moment the statement was published” and accused the Stockholm government of allowing acts that “hurt the feelings of the Muslims”.
Among the entities that may be affected by the measure is the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA), one of the largest non-governmental organizations present in Afghanistan and which develops activities in the areas of health and education, employing 7,400 Afghan employees.
On June 28, the first day of the Aid al Adha celebration, a citizen of Iraqi origin burned a copy of the Koran in Stockholm, in an act attended by nearly 200 people.
The act allowed by the Swedish authorities, present at the scene, was condemned by Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, who summoned the Swedish ambassadors present in each of these countries.
Last January, a far-right militant burned a copy of the Koran in front of the Turkish embassy in Sweden, which also sparked diplomatic protests and criticism from the Turkish head of state.
Source: TSF
