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BRUSSELS (AP) -- A delegation from the Afghan Taliban met Tuesday with European Union staff in Brussels for closed-door talks that focused on diplomatic services and the "dignified returns" of Afghans to the isolated and war-ravaged nation, a Taliban official said.
Afghans make up one of the largest groups of migrants seeking asylum in the EU, but a growing number of governments in the 27-nation bloc want to speed up and increase deportations for those whose claims are rejected or who commit crimes in their host countries.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called the visit "historic," noting it was the first time a delegation from the Islamic Emirate held talks with the EU and EU nations in Brussels.
Balkhi, who led the delegation of five, said talks focused on "trust-building measures," the Taliban's diplomatic presence in the EU and a "dignified return process."
The meeting was held in an undisclosed location in the Belgian capital, where both the EU and NATO are headquartered.
The Commission said it co-chaired the meeting with Sweden and that representatives from 15 of the EU's 27 nations participated in discussions focused on easing deportations of criminals and security threats.
Afghan authorities have imposed draconian restrictions on rights, particularly for women and girls, since the Taliban seized power in the country in 2021 in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led forces.
Rights groups said Tuesday's meeting undercuts the EU's human rights obligations and could endanger people in Europe and Afghanistan.
"Any engagement with the Taliban needs to prioritize protecting human rights and accountability -- not deporting people to danger there," said Fereshta Abbasi, a researcher at Human Rights Watch. "EU countries are undermining their credibility by condemning Taliban abuses and pursuing accountability on one hand, while cooperating with the Taliban to forcibly return Afghans on the other."