Taliban say they have right to react if US keeps troops in Afghanistan

DOHA: Taliban have the “right to react” if the United States still keeps troops in Afghanistan after September 11, when the withdrawal is due to complete, Afghan militant group spokesman said.

US officials earlier told the media that roughly 650 US soldiers were expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after Washington pulled its forces out to end its 20-year military presence in the country.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen has told a Gulf media house that if the US did so, it would be in breach of an agreement aimed at ending the US’s longest war that was struck between Washington and the Taliban in the Qatari capital in February 2020.

“We have signed the Doha agreement and that was negotiated with the American side for 18 months. They have agreed and committed themselves that they will withdraw from Afghanistan all their military forces, advisers and contractors,” Shaheen said.

“I think it is a clear violation of that agreement,” he added. “If they stay here, then I think it is a kind of continuation of the occupation. They have violated and we fully have the right to react,” Shaheen said.

HE said that the Taliban had committed to providing secure passage to US forces as they withdraw from Afghanistan and that the armed group would not attack them. “We remained loyal to that,” Shaheen said.

“We have not attacked them during their withdrawal. Even [when] they violated the May 1 full withdrawal from Afghanistan – still, we have not attacked them while we are fully capable to do that.