The Diplomat
The Afghan ambassador to Spain, Humayoon Rasaw, informed the Spanish authorities on the 14th that he was leaving his post, a month after the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul, diplomatic sources confirmed to The Diplomat.
The embassy is headed by a Chargé d’Affaires and none of the other accredited diplomats has announced that he is leaving his post.
The news of the ambassador’s resignation was reported by El Confidencial Digital, which also assured that the political, economic and cultural sections are no longer functioning.
It is not known whether Humayoon Rasaw, who presented his Letters of Credence to the King in May 2019, has applied for political asylum in Spain or will choose to do so in another European country, where he reportedly has family ties.
According to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular Affairs, diplomats are allowed to work in a state for the duration of their mission. However, according to the customs that apply in cases of termination, he has around two months after leaving his post to remain in Spain, without the need to make any kind of application for residence or request for asylum or refuge.
Quoting diplomatic sources, presumably Afghan, El Confidencial Digital added: “Local employees have also resigned. Those of us who remain strive to keep the embassy operational. We represent no one but our people and our country”.
He also indicated that the Taliban had tried to contact the Afghan representatives in Spain by video call, but that the call was rejected by Madrid.
The diplomatic representation still flies the tricolour flag representative of the democratic regime, with vertical stripes of red, black and green. This same flag was flown at protest demonstrations in different cities around the world as a symbol of resistance to the Taliban.
This situation of confusion is not only experienced in the Afghan legation in Madrid, but also in the Afghan embassies in the rest of Europe, America, Australia and some Asian countries, which are completely disconnected from the Taliban government and operate autonomously.
