THE FALL OF KABUL: KABUL, AFghanistan- Taliban declares amnesty to all, assures no harm to foreigners

 FILE PHOTO: Taliban forces patrol a street in Herat/ posted August 18, 2021 at 01:00 am by AFP
.
.
.
.text: People read about the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul at a newspaper stall in Karachi, Pakistan, on Aug. 16, 2021. (Shahzaib Akber/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)
Taliban militants gave their first press conference late Tuesday, two days after completing their takeover of Afghanistan, and said they are “working seriously on forming the government. It will be announced after completion,” spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.He said there’s an amnesty on all who have worked for foreign powers, and women will enjoy rights according to sharia or Islamic law. “No harm will be done,” Mujahid added.”We have pardoned everybody for the benefit of stability or peace in Afghanistan,” he said. “Our fighters, our people,  we are all going to make sure that we can include all other sides and factions.

.

Ads by: Memento Maxima Digital Marketing
@[email protected]
SPACE RESERVE FOR  ADVERTISEMENT

“Meanwhile, the Taliban’s co-founder returned to Afghanistan Tuesday following the group’s stunning takeover of the country, hours after they told government staff to return to work­—though residents reacted cautiously and few women took to the streets.Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar’s arrival from Qatar­—where he has spent months leading talks with the United States and then Afghan peace negotiators­—crowns a stunning comeback for the Taliban after being ousted 20 years ago.Spokesman Mujahid, who appeared in front of cameras for the first time, said: “After 20 years of struggle we have emancipated [the country] and expelled foreigners”.”This is a proud moment for the whole nation,” he added.Tens of thousands of people have tried to flee the country to escape the hardline Islamist rule expected under the Taliban, or fearing direct retribution for siding with the US-backed government that ruled for the past two decades.Significantly, Baradar, now deputy leader of the group, chose to touch down in Afghanistan’s second biggest city Kandahar—the Taliban’s spiritual birthplace and capital during their first time in power. He landed hours after evacuation flights from Kabul’s airport restarted after chaos Monday when huge crowds mobbed the apron, with some people so desperate they clung to the fuselage of a US military plane as it rolled down the runway for take-off.

Now the Taliban are back in power, they have sought to project an air of restraint and moderation, including by on Tuesday announcing a “general amnesty” for government workers.

“Those working in any part or department of the government should resume their duties with full satisfaction and continue their duties without any fear,” a Taliban statement said.Some shops also reopened as traffic police were back on the streets, while Taliban officials planned a first diplomatic meeting — with the Russian ambassador.A Taliban official also gave an interview to a female journalist on an Afghan news channel, and a girls’ school reopened in the western city of Herat.Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the Taliban had sent a “positive signal” by showing a “readiness to respect the opinion of others”.NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also blamed Afghan leaders for the “tragedy”.”Ultimately, the Afghan political leadership failed to stand up to the Taliban and to achieve the peaceful solution that Afghans desperately wanted,” he said.China also continued its verbal barrage against the United States over the situation in Afghanistan.”(Washington) left an awful mess of unrest, division and broken families,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters.

.

Ads by: Memento Maxima Digital Marketing
@[email protected]
SPACE RESERVE FOR  ADVERTISEMENT

It's only fair to share...Share on FacebookShare on Google+Tweet about this on TwitterEmail this to someonePrint this page