The Taliban government in Afghanistan issued a statement via Twitter on Friday calling for a resolution to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi requested that the situation be resolved through "dialogue and peaceful means."
The statement, which was posted in English, read "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine and expresses concern about [the] real possibility of civilian casualties. The Islamic Emirate calls for restraint by both parties. All sides need to desist from taking positions that could intensify violence."
The statement concluded by calling for "parties to the conflict to pay attention to safeguarding the lives of Afghan students and migrants in Ukraine."
Statement concerning crisis in #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/Ck17sMrAWy
— Abdul Qahar Balkhi (@QaharBalkhi) February 25, 2022
The Taliban retook control of Afghanistan in August 2021 after US troops were withdrawn from the country following a 20-year mission after the 9/11 attacks.