Ex-Minister Warns of Northern Afghanistan Becoming 'Another Gaza' Due to TTP Settlement

He observed that the Taliban's policies and the current state of affairs in Afghanistan have led the international community to hesitate in granting legitimacy to the group, considering the potential severe consequences.

Speaking on Tuesday at the dialogue in Tajikistan's capital, Khan pointed out that the Taliban's oppressive actions are only reinforcing resistance movements in various settings, including mosques and homes.

Ismail Khan remarked, "Resistance will ultimately overcome tyranny. The country's initial resistance was founded on this principle and progressed. Today's resistance follows the same conviction.”

He noted that the Taliban offers its opponents only two choices: death or allegiance. Highlighting the worsening economic conditions under the Taliban's 800-day rule, Khan mentioned the soaring unemployment and poverty rates.

He accused the Taliban of altering the demographic makeup of northern Afghanistan by settling Pakistani immigrants there, thereby heightening regional insecurity.

Khan also raised concerns about the establishment of numerous seminaries under the Taliban's governance, which he claimed are producing "suicide bombers," posing a security threat to neighbouring countries.

The former jihadi leader stated he continues to engage with leaders and politicians who fled Afghanistan following its fall. Ismail Khan, who battled the Taliban in Herat Province before its capture, was detained by the Taliban when Herat fell and was released shortly thereafter.

The Taliban has stated that Badri's visit is to attend the annual conference of the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions, as well as a meeting at the Islamic Development Bank.

The main objectives of this conference, as emphasised by the Taliban Central Bank, are to enhance banking practices, foster relationships between central banks, exchange recent advancements in Islamic banking, and learn from the experiences of Islamic nations.

This conference gathers not only representatives from the central banks of member countries but also includes delegates from Islamic financial institutions and board members from various Islamic banks.

Kanani clarified that Iran advocates for the inclusion of all Afghan factions in political frameworks, opposing their exclusion.

In Tehran's Monday press conference, Kanani expressed concern over the potential regional impact of Afghanistan's instability. He emphasised the necessity of forming an Afghan government representative of its entire populace. This stance, he noted, has been consistent in Tehran's policy over the last two years during Taliban rule.

Kanani reiterated Iran's position that all parties should back the creation of a government encompassing all Afghan ethnicities and groups.

The meeting in Moscow, hosted by Sergey Mironov of the Just Russia Party, convened opposition groups to the Taliban. In the meeting, Iran's representative criticised the Taliban for not forming an inclusive government and expressed readiness to facilitate dialogue between the Taliban and diverse ethnic representatives. Additionally, concerns were raised about various terrorist factions in Afghanistan, highlighting the potential threat despite their current inactivity.

SAMAA TV, drawing information from the Inter-Services Public Relations Pakistan (ISPR), even published the identity card number of the suicide bomber.

This revelation has led to concerns, highlighted by the Pakistani TV station, that individuals with legal Afghan government documents could be involved in terrorist activities within Pakistan. This report contradicts previous denials by the Afghan Taliban, who have consistently refuted claims linking Afghans to instability in Pakistan.

The suicide attack, which occurred on Sunday, involved the detonation of a motorcycle near a vehicle of Pakistani security forces in Bannu district. The explosion resulted in the death of at least two civilians and injuries to seven civilians and three Pakistani soldiers.

Pakistani media sources have linked the attack to Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a commander of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Speaking to Afghanistan International at the Herat Security Dialogue in Dushanbe, the former Afghan jihadi leader asserted that the international community remains actively involved in Afghanistan's affairs and continues to have a presence in the country.

Khan's statement echoes previous remarks by another ex-jihadi leader, Mohammad Mohaqiq, who alleged during a meeting in Moscow that American forces are covertly managing the Taliban government's operations from a hotel in Kabul.

The Herat Security Dialogue, taking place in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, serves as a critical platform where various anti-Taliban figures, scholars, and experts have convened to deliberate over the current state of Afghanistan.

The Afghan Institute of Strategic Studies, which is the organiser of the summit, in a statement, declared that the organisation brought together global experts, politicians, and representatives of different countries to discuss the critical situation in Afghanistan.