UN apologises over Taliban flag row

United Nations, January 21

The UN has apologised for “a significant lapse in judgement” after photographs surfaced of some of its personnel in front of a Taliban flag in Afghanistan during a visit by deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed this week to the war-torn country when she met the de facto authorities and expressed alarm over women’s rights violations.

Lapse in judgement

That photo should never have been taken. It clearly shows a significant lapse in judgement. It was a mistake and we apologise for it. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

Mohammed, the highest-ranking woman in the United Nations, along with Executive Director of UN Women Sima Bahous and Assistant Secretary-General of the Department of Political, Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Khaled Khiari completed a four-day visit to Afghanistan on Friday.

During the visit, the delegation met Taliban leaders in Kabul and Kandahar and conveyed their alarm over the recent restrictions on education and work of women and girls across the country.

However, as Mohammed was meeting the group’s leaders, photographs of some UN security personnel in front of the Taliban flag drew criticism.