EU plans to invite Taliban officials to Brussels for talks on Afghan deportations

The European Union plans to invite officials from the Taliban government in Afghanistan to Brussels, on their first known official visit, to discuss ways to deport some Afghan migrants back to Afghanistan, Reuters reports.

Western countries have refused to recognize the Taliban since the Islamist fighters returned to power in Afghanistan five years ago, overthrowing a government that had been supported by US and NATO troops for two decades.

An EU spokesman said the planned meeting in Brussels was being organised at the request of several member states. The date has not yet been set, and the meeting does not mean the EU has recognised the Taliban.

It would appear to be the first publicly announced visit by Taliban officials to Brussels, although a spokesman said he could not confirm this.

EU officials have already traveled to Kabul for a meeting in January, the spokesman said, and the EU is now working "on a possible follow-up meeting at technical level in Brussels with the de facto authorities in Afghanistan, to continue these talks."

Hundreds of thousands of Afghans have sought asylum in Europe since the Taliban took power in the country. European law allows for the deportation of some migrants who commit crimes or are considered a security threat, but this has been difficult to enforce in the case of Afghanistan due to a lack of diplomatic relations.

An EU spokesman said Sweden was helping coordinate the planned meeting in Brussels. The Swedish government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.