Taliban: Afghanistan Won’t Be Used As Terror Haven… Women Will Be Allowed To Work

The Taliban pledged to build an inclusive government, protect
the rights of women “within the bounds of Shariah law,” and prevent
Afghan territory from being used to target any other country,
seeking to allay concerns the group intends to reimpose Islamic
fundamentalism on Afghanistan.

The rhetoric from the militant group on Tuesday fits a pattern
of reassuring comments since the Taliban seized the capital of
Kabul on Sunday. But history argues against it: Their prior stint
in power, until they were ousted by the U.S. military in 2001, was
marked by an extremely conservative interpretation of Shariah laws
that saw women face stoning or execution for non-compliance.

“We assure the international community and especially the U.S.
and neighboring countries that Afghanistan won’t be used against
them,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said in Kabul, his
first fully public appearance after 20 years spreading the Sunni
fundamentalist movement’s message from secret locations as it
fought NATO and Afghan forces.

The sudden pragmatism likely reflects the realization within
Taliban ranks that officials need to present a more moderate image
if they hope to gain tacit recognition from the U.S. and its allies
as the new rulers of Afghanistan. Alongside rolling back the
advances in freedoms enjoyed by some women, a key concern is the
Taliban will let terrorist groups like al-Qaeda rebuild a base in
the country.

Already there are doubts the Taliban charm offensive will be
sustained, especially in rural parts of the country. Militants in
northern areas have in recent weeks told some female employees of
Afghanistan International Bank, the country’s largest by assets, to
leave and go home, a bank official said.

Reports have also emerged of forced marriages and orders for men
to grow beards. Thousands of residents have fled to neighboring
countries in an attempt to escape life under the insurgents.

“After consultations we will witness the formation of a strong
inclusive Islamic government,” Mujahed said, dodging questions of
who would lead the country. He added that a Taliban-run Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan wouldn’t seek retribution against those who
worked with the U.S. and the ousted administration or fought the
movement.

“All of them have been pardoned,” he said during a more than
hour-long press conference, dressed in the Taliban’s usual black
turban. Mujahed said the group’s fighters would collect weapons in
a country awash with guns, and crack down on opium production.

He sat in front of a cluster of microphones, and a hand
sanitizer bottle, with the white Taliban flag and blue velvet
curtains behind him. A translator sat to his left, often leaning in
to translate questions from the foreign press or to relay his
answers. It was the first time that people had seen Mujahed with
his face uncovered.

Earlier Tuesday, Taliban representatives, Afghan officials and
leaders in Qatar — where the two sides held now-stalled peace talks
— were thought to have begun discussions in an effort to formalize
the transition of power.

Baradar Arrival
Details of the meetings were sketchy and later a senior Taliban
delegation led by deputy chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, tipped
by some observers to be Afghanistan’s next leader, flew from the
Qatari capital of Doha to Kandahar, the southern Afghan city that
was the austere movement’s stronghold when it previously ruled over
the country.

Kabul was reported to be largely calm. U.S. forces restored
security at the capital’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, where
some military evacuation flights resumed as nations withdraw their
personnel.

Al Jazeera said the airport would reopen to civilians on
Saturday, citing an unidentified security official. German defense
officials said for now the militant group had sealed off the
facility and was only letting through members of the international
community.

The Taliban pledged to build an inclusive government, protect
the rights of women “within the bounds of Shariah law,” and prevent
Afghan territory from being used to target any other country,
seeking to allay concerns the group intends to reimpose Islamic
fundamentalism on Afghanistan.

The rhetoric from the militant group on Tuesday fits a pattern
of reassuring comments since the Taliban seized the capital of
Kabul on Sunday. But history argues against it: Their prior stint
in power, until they were ousted by the U.S. military in 2001, was
marked by an extremely conservative interpretation of Shariah laws
that saw women face stoning or execution for non-compliance.

“We assure the international community and especially the U.S.
and neighboring countries that Afghanistan won’t be used against
them,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed said in Kabul, his
first fully public appearance after 20 years spreading the Sunni
fundamentalist movement’s message from secret locations as it
fought NATO and Afghan forces.

The sudden pragmatism likely reflects the realization within
Taliban ranks that officials need to present a more moderate image
if they hope to gain tacit recognition from the U.S. and its allies
as the new rulers of Afghanistan. Alongside rolling back the
advances in freedoms enjoyed by some women, a key concern is the
Taliban will let terrorist groups like al-Qaeda rebuild a base in
the country.

Already there are doubts the Taliban charm offensive will be
sustained, especially in rural parts of the country. Militants in
northern areas have in recent weeks told some female employees of
Afghanistan International Bank, the country’s largest by assets, to
leave and go home, a bank official said.

Reports have also emerged of forced marriages and orders for men
to grow beards. Thousands of residents have fled to neighboring
countries in an attempt to escape life under the insurgents.

“After consultations we will witness the formation of a strong
inclusive Islamic government,” Mujahed said, dodging questions of
who would lead the country. He added that a Taliban-run Islamic
Emirate of Afghanistan wouldn’t seek retribution against those who
worked with the U.S. and the ousted administration or fought the
movement.

“All of them have been pardoned,” he said during a more than
hour-long press conference, dressed in the Taliban’s usual black
turban. Mujahed said the group’s fighters would collect weapons in
a country awash with guns, and crack down on opium production.

He sat in front of a cluster of microphones, and a hand
sanitizer bottle, with the white Taliban flag and blue velvet
curtains behind him. A translator sat to his left, often leaning in
to translate questions from the foreign press or to relay his
answers. It was the first time that people had seen Mujahed with
his face uncovered.

Earlier Tuesday, Taliban representatives, Afghan officials and
leaders in Qatar — where the two sides held now-stalled peace talks
— were thought to have begun discussions in an effort to formalize
the transition of power.

Baradar Arrival
Details of the meetings were sketchy and later a senior Taliban
delegation led by deputy chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, tipped
by some observers to be Afghanistan’s next leader, flew from the
Qatari capital of Doha to Kandahar, the southern Afghan city that
was the austere movement’s stronghold when it previously ruled over
the country.

Kabul was reported to be largely calm. U.S. forces restored
security at the capital’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, where
some military evacuation flights resumed as nations withdraw their
personnel.

Al Jazeera said the airport would reopen to civilians on
Saturday, citing an unidentified security official. German defense
officials said for now the militant group had sealed off the
facility and was only letting through members of the international
community.