Taliban urge Muslim world to reconsider interaction with Sweden over Quran burning

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) – Afghanistan's interim Taliban administration on Tuesday urged the Muslim world to reconsider its interaction with Sweden as it announced a complete ban on Sweden's activities in the country following the recent burning of a copy of the Holy Quran in Stockholm.

In a statement, the interim administration said the ban will remain in effect until Sweden apologizes to Muslims for this "heinous act."

“After insulting the Holy Quran and the Muslim faith in Sweden, the Islamic Emirate suspends Sweden's activities in Afghanistan until they apologize to the Muslims for this heinous act. IEA’s (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) relevant organizations are obliged to comply with this directive,” read the statement, tweeted by its spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

Last month, a person identified as Salwan Momika burned a copy of the Quran under police protection in front of the Stockholm Mosque in Sweden.

His provocative act was timed to coincide with Eid al-Adha, one of the major Islamic religious festivals celebrated by Muslims worldwide.

It elicited widespread condemnation from across the Islamic world, including Türkiye, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Senegal, and Mauritania.