There are uncertainties in many Afghan embassies over staff loyalty to the Western-backed Afghan government, which was overthrown by the Taliban in August.
The Taliban have not appointed new representatives to most diplomatic missions, and no country has recognized the Taliban regime.
The Afghan embassy in Rome announced on social media on Tuesday that a diplomat appointed by the previous government, who had recently been fired, had returned to the embassy and claimed that the Taliban had appointed him the new ambassador.
“He later attacked the ambassador in the presence of embassy staff, but the ambassador defended himself and called the Italian police,” the embassy said.
The embassy revealed that diplomat Mohamad Fahim Kashaf was fired because he was not loyal to the country’s values.
Police took him out of the embassy and the ambassador was not injured in the attack.
A source among Afghan diplomats told AFP that Kashaf had been fired for supporting the Taliban and was beaten by his former colleagues.
The Italian police told AFP that there was a misunderstanding at the embassy, but did not provide further information.
The Taliban’s foreign ministry in Kabul denied that Kashaf had been appointed ambassador, but said he had not been fired.
“Our data shows that he is still a diplomat and his contract with him has not been terminated,” a Taliban spokesman told the Taliban.
The situation with the Afghan representatives, both diplomats of the old and new regimes, is still unresolved at the UN.
