The Taliban regime announced on Tuesday that all Swedish activities in Afghanistan would be suspended, following the burning of the Koran outside Stockholm’s largest Islamic mosque last month.

“After desecrating the holy Koran and giving permission to insult the beliefs of Muslims (…) the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan orders to stop all activities of Sweden in Afghanistan,” said Zabiullah Mujahid, the de facto spokesman government.

Sweden has not had a functioning embassy in Afghanistan since the Taliban retook power on August 15, 2021. The order, however, is likely to affect the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, a Swedish non-governmental organization that employs thousands of people in the country, in fields ranging from health as education and rural development.

An Iraqi refugee in Sweden burned pages of a copy of the Koran outside the largest Islamic mosque in Stockholm last month, sparking outrage across the Islamic world.

The Swedish Commission for Afghanistan did not immediately respond when Reuters asked for comment on the Taliban’s decision.

The Taliban regime did not provide any details for which activities her order concerns.

Non-governmental organizations and international organizations that offer assistance to the population of Afghanistan have already faced serious problems due to a series of restrictions, especially on women, as well as due to the reduction of funding, especially to the UN, for assistance in the Southeast Asian country.

However, the Swedish government condemned the action as Islamophobic.