Seek Close Engagement with Regional Countries, Says Taliban’s FM

Taliban’s foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi addressed the Samarkand meeting and stressed that the group is "responsible and committed”. Muttaqi added that the Taliban is interested in close engagement with regional countries.

The Taliban’s foreign minister said that the group will not allow Afghanistan to become the hub for "negative and illegitimate" competition.

The fourth meeting of foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries was held on Thursday in Samarkand.

The foreign minister of the Taliban had been absent at the start and end of the meeting of neighbouring countries of Afghanistan.

Muttaqi claimed that Afghanistan has witnessed "positive developments" with the Taliban's takeover of the country. He stated that the country has a "strong central government, the rule of law and order, and security”.

He emphasised that the Taliban has eradicated corruption and claimed that access to judicial institutions has been provided and drug cultivation and trafficking have been banned.

Contrary to the Taliban foreign minister’s claims, the officials of foreign countries and human rights organisations said that the Taliban destroyed the rule of law, and Afghanistan has witnessed a dramatic increase in drug trafficking.

The foreign minister of the Taliban emphasised that the group will not allow the use of Afghan soil against the countries of the region and the world.