Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s ambassador to Qatar, has responded to recent criticism from the U.S. Department of State regarding the Taliban’s performance in combating terrorism, saying that the group has confronted what he called “rebellious groups” without relying on foreign support. He also emphasized the Taliban’s desire to expand relations with all countries.
Shaheen said in an interview on Thursday with Radio Omid, a Taliban-affiliated media outlet, that the group is pursuing a balanced policy and, while maintaining its values and principles, seeks to establish and develop relations with all countries.
He added that Afghanistan needs the cooperation of the international community for reconstruction and economic development, and for this reason, the Taliban wants to maintain and expand relations with various countries and international organizations.
The Taliban envoy to Qatar also stated that the group has not depended on any country in its fight against armed groups and has confronted them independently. He said that by “rebellious groups,” he was referring to the Khorasan branch of ISIS (ISIS-K).
Radio Omid also claimed that the United States wants to cooperate with the Taliban in combating militant groups, but so far, no U.S. officials have officially confirmed this claim.
These remarks come as the U.S. Department of State said in an interview with Voice of America on Wednesday that the Taliban has consistently failed to fulfill its commitments regarding counterterrorism efforts.
The U.S. Department of State also stressed that, as a result of this situation, Afghanistan has once again become a safe haven for extremist groups and a place where terrorist attacks are planned and carried out. The department further accused the Taliban of allowing violence that contributes to regional instability to continue.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
