Taliban promises not to attack foreign diplomatic, charity missions
Kabul, May 26 (EFE).- Taliban promised Wednesday not to pose a security threat to any foreign diplomatic and charity mission in Afghanistan, following the final phase of the withdrawal of the US and NATO forces from the country in September.
The insurgents stressed they would instead help all foreign diplomatic missions and charity organizations to carry out their mission in the country.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan assures all foreign diplomats and charity organization workers that the Islamic Emirate will pose no threat to them,” Taliban’s political spokesperson in Qatar, Muhammad Naeem Wardak, told EFE.
Wardak said charity organizations have been operating in areas under their control for a long time and should “not be concerned and worried” regarding their security.
Around 2,500 American and 7,000 NATO troops are scheduled to complete their final withdrawal from Afghanistan by early September this year, following the Doha agreement, signed last year between the United States and the Taliban.
This has led to security concerns among several foreign missions in the country, with many of them considering a reduction or relocation of staff from the country, as violence has spiraled since the US beginning its final phase of pullout earlier this month.
Australia on Tuesday became the first country to announce the closure of its embassy in Kabul in light of the withdrawal of foreign troops from the country.
Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the embassy, which opened in 2006, will close Friday “in light of the imminent international military withdrawal from Afghanistan,” but left open the possibility of it reopening sometime in the future.
“Australia hopes this measure will be temporary and that we will resume a permanent presence in Kabul once circumstances permit,” Australian government said in a statement.
Washington expects to complete the pullout by Sep. 11, which marks the 20th anniversary of the serial terrorist attacks in the US that triggered their Afghan invasion and the fall of the Taliban regime. EFE
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