Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani says the group remains committed to the Doha Agreement, rejecting allegations that Afghanistan has become a hub for international terrorism.
Speaking Friday at a ceremony marking the fourth anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, Haqqani accused unnamed individuals of making such claims to advance their own personal interests. “If anyone has a problem with the current system, our door for dialogue is open, but they must resolve their internal issues themselves,” he said.
Haqqani did not identify any country or person, though his remarks appeared directed at Pakistan, which has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of harbouring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants.
A recent UN expert report said the Taliban are providing a safe environment for foreign terrorist groups in Afghanistan, posing a serious threat to the security of Central Asia and beyond. The report claimed that several al-Qaeda-linked training camps are operating in the country.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry has alleged that Baloch militants and the TTP receive financial and logistical support from Afghan soil, stressing that Islamabad expects the Taliban to take decisive action against such groups.
Haqqani also urged Afghans living abroad to return, promising they could live “with dignity” and would not face questioning over their past activities.
The Doha Agreement, signed on 29 February 2020 between the Taliban and the United States, led to the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan and the collapse of the Western-backed Afghan government. Under the deal, the Taliban pledged that Afghan territory would not be used to threaten regional or global security and would not serve as a safe haven for terrorists. The agreement also called for intra-Afghan dialogue between the Taliban and other political and social groups.
In recent months, Taliban spokespersons have said the Doha Agreement applied to a specific phase and is no longer the group’s guiding framework.
