NS The Taliban’s first press conference in Kabul since gaining control of the Afghan capital on Sunday began with a recitation of the Koran by their spokesman Zabiula Mujahid today, Reuters and the Associated Press reported.
“We do not want any internal or external enemies and we will maintain peaceful relations with other countries,” Mujahid said.
Until now, he has remained in the shadows, although he has been making statements on behalf of the Taliban for years, the AP notes.
Zabiula Mujahid has promised an Islamist movement that has taken power in Afghanistan to respect women’s rights in accordance with the Qur’an. Women will have the right to work and study and “will be very active in society, but within Islam,” he was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Source: BTA
The Taliban will not seek revenge, forgive everyone and will not persecute people, their spokesman assured.
At the press conference, Zabiula Mujahid spoke in unison with the Islamist movement’s attempts to convince the world that it has changed since the 1990s, when it imposed a brutal regime in Afghanistan, the AP notes.
Source: BTA
“After the Taliban came to power, The EU will cooperate with the Afghan government only if it respects the fundamental rights,
including women, and does not allow the territory of Afghanistan to be used by terrorists, Reuters reported, citing a statement by EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell.
Cooperation with any future Afghan government will depend on a peaceful settlement of the crisis with the participation of all sections of the population and respect for the rights of all Afghans, including women, youth and persons belonging to minorities.
In addition, the future authorities must respect Afghanistan’s international obligations, make a commitment to fight corruption and prevent the territory of Afghanistan from being used by terrorist organizations, Borel said in a statement following an extraordinary meeting of European foreign ministers on of events in the Central Asian country.
Given the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the EU will continue to provide assistance to the Afghan people, Borel added. He called on all forces in Afghanistan to allow safe and unhindered access to humanitarian aid for Afghan men, women and children in need, including those forced to flee their homes.
“The EU will also support Afghanistan’s neighbors in dealing with the negative consequences that can be expected from the increase in the number of refugees,” Borel added.
However, the European foreign minister noted that Brussels “will have to talk” to the Taliban because “they have won the war in Afghanistan,” AFP reported. The aim is to avoid a humanitarian and migration catastrophe and to prevent the return of foreign terrorists to the country, Borel stressed. However, this does not mean quick formal recognition of the Taliban regime, he noted.
Western intervention has failed in its goal of building an Afghan state, Borel added.
The Taliban will be tried “according to their actions,” said German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. “Above all, the most important thing is for the transition to be peaceful,” he said.
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