Taliban Calls For Restraint, Respect For Civilian Lives in Ukraine

The Taliban has called on Russia and Ukraine to resolve their conflict through peaceful dialogue and expressed concern over civilian casualties.

Asserting Afghan neutrality Friday, a day after Russian troops invaded Ukraine, a foreign ministry statement called for “all sides…to desist from taking positions that could intensify violence…[and] the possibility of civilian casualties”, and to “pay attention to safeguarding the lives of Afghan students and migrants in Ukraine.”

In its statement, the foreign ministry expressed concern over “the possibility of civilian casualties”, saying that “the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine”.

The Taliban were responsible for tens of thousands of civilian casualties in their war against the United States and other Western forces supporting the government, by conducting indiscriminate attacks against schools, hospitals and other civilian targets.

No country has yet recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's new government since its takeover in August 2021 that reportedly caused thousands of casualties and displaced up to half a million according to UN estimates.

Ukraine's State Migration Service has said that at least 370 Afghans fled violence in Ukraine on evacuation flights last year. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, more than 130 people, including civilians, were killed on Thursday, the first day of the Russian invasion.