Andrew Giles calls reports of former Taliban hostage back in Kabul ‘distressing’

Australia’s immigration minister has responded to “distressing” vision of a NSW teacher and former Taliban hostage being back in Afghanistan.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles says he is “extremely concerned” by fresh reports about Australian academic and former Taliban hostage Timothy Weeks.

Mr Weeks, who was kidnapped at gunpoint and held captive for three years, has returned to Afghanistan to “celebrate” the one-year anniversary of the regime’s rule.

The Taliban has “warm-heartedly welcomed” Mr Weeks back to the capital city of Kabul, which fell to the militant fundamentalist Islamic group a year ago on Monday.

Mr Giles said the reports of Mr Weeks’ return to Kabul were “distressing” and “extremely concerning”.

“I can only imagine the additional anguish and distress this is causing many members of the Australian Afghan community right now,” he told ABC Radio.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles says the reports of Timothy Weeks’ return to Kabul are distressing. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Giles said any Australian engaged in co-operation with the Taliban was putting themselves in contravention of the sanctions regime.

He wouldn’t be drawn on whether the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had been aware of Mr Weeks’ plans to travel to Afghanistan.

Mr Weeks and his American colleague Kevin King were abducted by Taliban soldiers in 2016 outside the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul.

Mr Weeks returned home to regional NSW in late 2019 after he and Mr King were released as part of a prisoner swap deal with the US.

Afghan broadcast network TOLOnews has published a video of Timothy Weeks and an accompanying article detailing his return to Afghanistan. Picture: TOLOnews

Afghan broadcast network TOLOnews on Saturday morning published a video of Mr Weeks saying he had returned to Kabul to “complete my journey” of learning about Afghanistan.

“I am also coming to celebrate the one year anniversary of the governments of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, who I have stood behind,” he said on the tarmac at the airport in Kabul.

“I spent three and a half years with Taliban soldiers and I saw these people in a light that nobody else has been able to do.”

Mr Weeks, who has converted to Islam and is also known by his Muslim name Jibrael Umar, was photographed being embraced at Kabul airport by members of the Taliban.

Mr Weeks (centre) has returned to Afghanistan, where he has been photographed with members of the Haqqani militant group. Picture: Supplied

Members of the Afghan Australian community have responded to the reports with frustration and disappointment.

Amnesty International Australia refugee rights campaigner Zaki Haidari said there shouldn’t be anniversaries or celebrations of the Taliban’s rule.

“It’s a dark day for (Afghanistan) and its people,” he said in a tweet.

“This regime keeps violating women’s rights, not allowing girls to go to school, and leaving millions of people to poverty and hunger, including children. Very disappointing for our community.”

Mr Weeks, pictured in parliament after returning to Australia in 2019, was held hostage by the Taliban for more than three years. Picture: AAP / Lukas Coch

Australia announced some 31,500 humanitarian visa places for Afghans, but only 5500 have reportedly arrived in the country since the fall of Kabul.

Other Afghan nationals who worked for the Australian military and government in Afghanistan, including as interpreters and aid workers, remain trapped in refugee camps trying to get to Australia.

A report by World Vision Australia, released on Monday, found many Afghan children were acutely malnourished and showing signs of mental health issues after a year of Taliban rule.

The survey of more than 800 parents, caregivers and their children, also found that 7 out of 10 boys and more than half of all girls were being sent to work rather than attending school.