Afghanistan's diplomatic missions in Norway and the UK are closing following the Taliban's decision to no longer recognize embassies set up by the former Western-backed government. The Norwegian embassy will close on Thursday, with its premises handed over to Norway's Foreign Ministry, while the London embassy will shut down on September 27 after the Taliban dismissed its staff. Both Norway and the UK do not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan and have relocated their embassies to neighboring countries. The Taliban's refusal to cooperate with the former government diplomats has left many embassies in limbo. Despite these closures, the Taliban continue to send diplomats to some countries, including Pakistan and China.