Matthew Miller, the US State Department Spokesperson, told Afghanistan International on Thursday that Washington insists that the Taliban be held accountable for the rise in terrorist group activities in Afghanistan.
Referring to the death of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of the al-Qaeda, in Kabul, Miller said that US continues to monitor Afghanistan.
He made these remarks during a press briefing addressing the escalation of terrorist activities in Afghanistan.
In response to a question from Mariza Hussaini, a reporter from Afghanistan International, he said that the United States continues to remind the Taliban of their counterterrorism commitments, with an expectation for adherence.
The Taliban does not categorise militant groups, including the Al-Qaeda, as terrorists and has rejected calls from Western countries and the region to expel them from Afghanistan. The Taliban says that while it won't permit these groups to launch attacks on other countries, however, it does not label them as terrorists.
Regional countries, particularly, express concerns over the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan. The government of Pakistan has iterated in multiple statements that the Afghan Taliban will not curb the attacks of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and its affiliated groups on Pakistani soil.
The US State Department Spokesperson urged the Taliban to address terrorist and militia groups. In reference to the demise of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, an indirect warning was issued, indicating that the US is prepared to target these groups in Afghanistan if deemed necessary.
Al-Zawahiri was killed in a US airstrike in Kabul on July 30, 2022. However, the Taliban has denied Zawahiri's presence and his death in Afghanistan. Despite appointing a new leader, Al-Qaeda has not disclosed the details surrounding the death of al-Zawahiri.
