Taliban vow not to give al Qaeda refuge in Afghanistan

The Taliban are vowing that they won’t give fellow militant organization al Qaeda refuge in their new government in Afghanistan, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

In an interview with Saudi Arabia state TV on Sunday, Taliban spokesperson Mohammed Naeem said that al Qaeda doesn’t have any foothold in the country, though he conceded that there are some “family ties” between the two groups. 

“They are not present in Afghanistan in the first place,” Naeem said, denying claims about the Taliban harboring al Qaeda troops from neighboring Pakistan and adding that no one will use Afghanistan to hide from another nation, according to the Post. 

“How many times have I said that we will not allow anyone to use the lands of Afghanistan against the security of other nations? … Anyone, anyone, anyone from any country,” he said. 

Reports from the United Nations have indicated that al Qaeda has a presence in at least 15 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces amid the fall of the internationally supported Afghan government.

The Taliban took the capital of Kabul last week, regaining full control over Afghanistan for the first time since 2001, when U.S. troops arrived in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which were planned and orchestrated by al Qaeda.

President Biden announced on Sunday that the U.S. has evacuated almost 28,000 people from Afghanistan since Aug. 14, adding that there are ongoing discussions on extending U.S. troops’ deployment in the country beyond the Aug 31. deadline. 

However, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen on Monday rejected that proposition.

“It’s a red line. President Biden announced that on 31 August they would withdraw all their military forces. So if they extend it that means they are extending occupation while there is no need for that,” Shaheen told Sky News.

“If the U.S. or U.K. were to seek additional time to continue evacuations — the answer is no. Or there would be consequences,” Shaheen added. “It will create mistrust between us. If they are intent on continuing the occupation it will provoke a reaction.”