Taliban vows to defend Afghanistan's independence

Doubling down on Islamic Sharia as “framework” for their rule, the Taliban administration on Tuesday said it will not allow anyone to threaten the “independence and freedom” of Afghanistan.

“This day also showed that all the efforts of the invaders in this country have faced with failure,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman of the Taliban which identify themselves as Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan or the IAE.

The Taliban Tuesday marked two years of their return to power, which they call “conquest of Kabul,” in August 2021. Their return followed years of peace negotiations with the US which resulted in the Doha deal signed on Feb. 29 that year.

“No invader will be allowed to threaten the independence and freedom of Afghanistan,” said Mujahid.

“They cannot defeat the will of the Afghan Mujahid people, nor can they impose their arbitrary regime by force and conspiracies,” he said, adding that the Taliban administration is “committed to serving their people within the framework of the Islamic Sharia as long as they are alive and will work for the development and stability of the country.”

Under the Doha deal, all the foreign forces vacated the war-torn country by the end of August 2021.

Mujahid said the entire Islamic Ummah – the Muslim community – was “proud of Taliban’s victory against the occupation.”

He said the Taliban administration has “ensured security in the country.”

“The entire territory of the country is managed under a single leadership, Islamic system is in place and everything is explained from the angle of Sharia, these are the results of the sacrifices of the people of Afghanistan throughout the years,” he added.