Meeting of Taliban opponents begins in European Parliament

A two-day meeting of Taliban political and military opponents began on March 16, 2026, in the European Parliament, marking the institution's first official interaction regarding the Afghan crisis.

The gathering, hosted today and tomorrow, represents a shift in international discussions from humanitarian aid, women's rights and refugee issues to political opposition and armed resistance against the Taliban, according to sources. The European Union has previously emphasized engagement with the Taliban and refrained from official connections with opposition fronts. Belgium has hosted prior meetings on Afghanistan.

The World Health Organization reported a 57% increase in Afghan returnees last month, providing health care to over 300,000 people at border crossings. In February, WHO recorded more than 157,000 cases of pneumonia from acute respiratory infections, with 313 deaths; 2,600 measles cases, up 35% with 16 deaths; 173 dengue fever cases with no deaths; and about 6,000 cases of acute watery diarrhea with three deaths. WHO warned of added pressure on health centers due to rising returnees, diseases and funding shortages.

Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada issued an Eid al-Fitr message via spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid's page, congratulating Afghans and Muslims worldwide. He stressed Ramadan worship, piety, charity, support for the Taliban system, unity, improved security under the Islamic Emirate and non-interference in Afghan affairs by other countries.

The message made no reference to ongoing border clashes with Pakistan, where both sides have exchanged airstrikes and artillery fire and accused each other of civilian deaths. The United Nations reported dozens of Afghan civilians killed and wounded, with tens of thousands displaced. Akhundzada also omitted mention of women's and girls' rights or the war between America, Israel and Iran.