Both of the high-ranking officials have been based in the Helmand province located in Southern Afghanistan. They have been holding meetings with the different tribes and groups in the region. It is believed that the Taliban is possibly one of the groups the two officials have been meeting with.
The two officials have been given 48 hours to leave Afghanistan. The United Nations has said that it would comply with the government’s request. But, the officials hope to resolve what they deem is a misunderstanding.
“We are currently trying to clarify the situation with the Afghan authorities, and we are hopeful that our staff member and the UN can continue with the essential work that is required to deliver peace, stability and progress to the people of the Helmand province,” explained Aleem Siddique, the UN spokesman.
According to BBC, the two spoke to many groups across the country. Their role in the region was to find out what was happening on the ground with the elders, government representatives, and other representatives.
Homayun Hamidzada, the spokesman for Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s president, stated: “The foreign nationals have been declared persona non grata and their Afghan colleagues have been arrested and are being investigated.”
The two officials explain and stress that the meetings should not be interpreted as delivering aid and support to the Taliban.
According to analysts, the Taliban’s reason for its resurgence is due to the poppy fields in that region.