UN apologises for photo of personnel in front of Taliban flag: ‘Significant lapse in judgement’

‘That photo should never have been taken. It clearly shows a significant lapse in judgment’

The United Nations has apologised for “a significant lapse in judgement” after photographs of some of its staff emerged in front of a Taliban flag in Afghanistan during a high-level visit to address the ban on women aid workers in the strife-torn country.

Deputy secretary-general Amina Mohammed was joined by Sima Bahous, executive director of UN Women, and assistant secretary general for political affairs Khaled Khiari, as they met the de facto Taliban authorities and expressed alarm over women’s rights violations in the country.

On Friday, head of foreign relations for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), Ali Maisam Nazary, tweeted: “The @UN personnel in Kabul taking a photo w/ a terrorist group’s flag brings the United Nation’s impartiality & integrity into question. We kindly ask @antonioguterres to investigate this matter & for @UNAMAnews to prevent such insensitive actions that can tarnish its reputation.”