The Taliban has disclosed that it will not agree to any extension of the date for foreign troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan. This warning comes with the deadline only a matter of days away.
The Taliban disclosed this to Sky News through their spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, a member of the Taliban delegation in Doha, the capital of Qatar. It said that that the move will be considered as “extending occupation” and that is a”red line”.
It can be recalled that US President, Joe Biden announced 31st August 2021 as the deadline for the withdrawal “of all their military forces” and the Taliban has said that should they ask for an extension of the date, the answer will be “no”.
This is coming off the backdrop of the US president on Sunday, 22nd of August, describing the task of evacuating tens of thousands of people as “hard and painful” and the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson expected to personally plead with Joe Biden to extend the deadline for US troops leaving Afghanistan to allow more people to flee the reign of terror of the Taliban.
Suhail Shaheen said: “If the US or UK were to seek additional time to continue evacuations, the answer is no. Or there would be consequences.
“It will create mistrust between us. If they are intent on continuing the occupation it will provoke a reaction.”
The airport has been the scene of chaos since the Taliban seized the Afghan capital on August 15 as US and international forces try to evacuate citizens and vulnerable Afghans. A NATO official has said that at least 20 people have died in and around the airport in the past week.