EFE.- The Taliban declared in the morning hours from the Kabul airport, the “complete independence” of Afghanistan, where they also promised to form an “inclusive” Islamic government, just hours after the total withdrawal of the United States.
After 20 years of war, Afghanistan finally managed to “gain its independence from foreign forces.”The main spokesman for the Taliban, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at a press conference held at the airport itself.
The spokesman’s statement came just hours after the last group of US soldiers in the country took off from the same air base after almost 20 years of conflict.
Don’t Miss: US Ends Withdrawal from Afghanistan After 20 Years of War
Mujahid addressed his fighters, whom he congratulated for their sacrifices that have meant one victory after another over the last month, with the first taking in just over 2 weeks of almost the entire Afghan territory, culminating on August 15 with the conquest bloodless from Kabul, and now with total American withdrawal.
“It is because of their sacrifices (…) that today we have achieved independence. I want to congratulate all of you and our nation for this independence. We hope that Afghanistan will never be occupied again and will remain independent, prosperous and the home of Afghans under an Islamic system, ”he said.
The withdrawal of international troops was accompanied by celebrations by the fundamentalist group, which took to the streets to celebrate the end of two decades of occupation with shots in the air.
We recommend: Taliban plan an interim government that involves all ethnic groups
“The invaders must know that Afghanistan is no place for them, they made a mistake coming here, we are happy they are gone, ”added Mujahid.
Now Taliban leaders hope to announce their new “inclusive” Islamic government soon, after two weeks of deliberations following the capture of Kabul.
The Taliban now have the right to “assume leadership of the country and guarantee its future” after nearly twenty years of jihad, he noted.
“We promise to build a system that will represent Afghan and Islamic values,” he said.
Lee: Who are the Taliban, today in control of Afghanistan?
The spokesman also appealed to the members of his forces to be “educated and have good behavior” with citizens, since after 20 years of war “the nation has the right to a peaceful life, to breathe calmly.” .
“We must be the servants of the nation, not its dynasty,” he remarked.
The next Taliban government will have an uncertain future in its relations with the international community, since he has not established a clear position on the recognition of his regime, waiting to verify the respect for the human rights of the Islamists.
Earlier in the day, following the withdrawal of the last US soldier, Mujahid nonetheless insisted that the Taliban want “good relations with the United States” in the future.
Subscribe to Forbes Mexico