IT was the visiting Taliban delegation that had decided to exclude women journalists from the media briefing Friday, an event that was strongly resisted by current staffers, The Indian Express has learnt.

At the heart of the controversy is the venue: the Afghanistan Embassy on Shantipath in the capital’s Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave.

It has a current staff strength of about 23 with six Afghans, all representing the earlier regime, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan led by President Ashraf Ghani who fled the country in August 2021.

Ahead of Thursday’s visit by Afghanistan Foreign Minister and Taliban leader Amir Khan Muttaqi, these staffers asked Charge D’Affaires (CDA) Sayed Mohammed Ibhrahimkhil — also a representative of the erstwhile regime – not to allow the Taliban briefing to

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