The Taliban leader, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, during Eid al-Adha prayers, called on his opponents to return to Afghanistan, end their differences, and cooperate with the Taliban administration. He said that the current system belongs to all Afghans and that they do not consider the orphans and disabled members of the former republican forces as “outsiders.”
On Wednesday, in his speech at the Eidgah Mosque in Kandahar, Hibatullah Akhundzada once again emphasized unity among Muslims and the need to end divisions.
Referring to the withdrawal of American forces, he said that at the time he feared Afghanistan might once again descend into civil war. However, according to him, the Taliban announced a “general amnesty,” and the forces of the former government laid down their weapons, which prevented a civil war from taking place.
The Taliban leader also urged his own forces to choose forgiveness instead of revenge. He stated: “The Prophet of God did not seek personal revenge and always forgave.”
He added that revenge leads to hostility and that friendship cannot be built through retaliation.
Hibatullah Akhundzada also called on Taliban opponents to set aside their differences and reconcile with the current system. He said: “Even now, you are forgiven. Come back; this country, this land, and this system belong to you.”
He further stated that the orphans and disabled veterans of the former Afghan forces are included in the Taliban government’s budget and receive assistance.
According to him: “Even now, I provide money to the orphans and disabled of those who were killed fighting against us. I consider them our own, not strangers.”
These remarks by the Taliban leader come at a time when armed opposition groups against the Taliban have reportedly become more active in recent weeks. Meanwhile, Ashraf Ghani, in his Eid message, said that Afghanistan has turned into a security threat for countries in the region and that the country is in a state between life and death.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
