European Commission officials and representatives from 15 EU member states hold a confidential technical meeting in Brussels with five Taliban representatives, including Abdul Qahar Balkhi, to discuss accelerating deportations of irregular Afghan migrants judged to pose security risks.Belgium issued one-day visas after intelligence vetting, a step that sparks political controversy at home while the EU insists the session is technical and does not equate to recognition of the Taliban regime that retook power in 2021.Human rights groups and lawmakers file protests and legal complaints, arguing the talks risk legitimizing a regime accused of crimes against humanity and gender-based repression, even as governments press for ways to return migrants judged dangerous.The meeting forms part of an
EU strategy to raise return rates, currently at 29 percent, and follows earlier European visits and deportation flights by countries such as
Germany that underscore pressure on
Brussels to manage rising Afghan asylum claims.