The Taliban’s foreign minister said their administration is “very serious” about protecting regional security and preventing Afghanistan’s territory from being used against other countries, as tensions with Pakistan persist despite diplomatic efforts.
“Anyone who wants to harm the security of our region, whoever they are, it is unacceptable to us,” Amir Khan Muttaqi told Central Asian officials at a regional three-day meeting in Kabul, which ended on Wednesday. “We assure you that we are very serious in this matter, very serious.”
He said the Taliban would not allow any group or country to use Afghanistan’s soil to threaten others.
“We will not allow any country or opposition to use our soil against our neighbors or countries in the region and the world,” he said, adding that Afghanistan’s decades of conflict had shaped its stance.
“We are a country that has come out of forty years of war. We have well experienced the war. We don’t want the experience to be repeated in our country or in our neighboring countries. Our stance on this should be taken seriously.”
Muttaqi also called for closer coordination with regional partners on shared threats.
“We know that our shared objectives and security matters are crucial. That’s why we should work a lot on them,” he said.
He added that the Taliban would act decisively against destabilizing forces. “We will fight firmly and comprehensively against all factors that disrupt security.”
Tensions with Pakistan
The remarks come as Pakistan has continued to press its security concerns, saying the Taliban have allowed militant groups, including Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, to operate from Afghanistan’s territory, an allegation the Taliban deny.
Pakistan’s army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, has said military operations targeting militant safe havens would continue until such threats are eliminated.
At the same time, Taliban and Pakistani delegations on Wednesday ended their week-long talks in Urumqi, China, with little signs of progress. China’s foreign ministry said the two sides have agreed to make efforts for early de-escalation of tensions that began in late February.
