WE WILL FORCE FOREIGN TROOPS OUT IF US MISSES DEADLINE, TALIBAN SAYS

Fri 26 March 2021:

The Taliban announced readiness to start attacking foreign soldiers stationed in Afghanistan if the pullout of troops is not completed by the May 1 deadline as envisioned by the movement’s 2020 deal with the United States.

On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said that Washington may not meet the May 1 deadline to withdraw troops due to tactical issues.

“If, God forbid, all foreign troops not withdraw from Afghanistan on the specific date in line with the Doha agreement, undoubtedly it will be considered a violation of the accord by America for which it shall be held liable and which shall also harm its international standing.

Foreign troops led by the US have been stationed in Afghanistan since the ousting of the Taliban from power in late 2001. Under a deal signed by the US and Taliban in Qatar in February 2020, the US military should completely leave Afghanistan by May. The US has already withdrawn several thousands of its soldiers, but some of its 2,500 troops still remain on Afghan soil.

“If anyone violates the Doha agreement and adopts the path of war, Afghans have a long history of giving sacrifices for the freedom of their country and can drive out by force the foreign troops,” Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, told Arab News over the phone.

“No one should try the will of Afghans in this regard . . . and all foreign troops must leave Afghanistan on the set time as Afghans have the right to decide about their country. Whoever wants to extend the 20 years of war will suffer more financial and human losses,” he said, adding that the Doha agreement signed by the group with the previous US administration of Donald Trump was “the logical, rational and good way for ending the war and tragedy.”

Biden’s announcement that it may be hard for the US to meet the May 1 deadline comes ahead of an American-sponsored conference on the Afghan peace process in Turkey where, in the coming weeks, international players, the Taliban and the Afghan government, are expected to negotiate the formation of an interim administration in Afghanistan that would involve Taliban representatives — an idea opposed by President Ashraf Ghani whose second term in office started last year.