On the 106th anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence, Taliban Defence Minister Mullah Yaqub warned that Afghans have repeatedly failed to safeguard their freedom after regaining it on three separate occasions in the past century.
“This time, conditions should not be created that, God forbid, we lose this freedom,” Yaqub said in a speech on Tuesday, August 19.
He urged unity under “Islam and Afghan identity,” cautioning against prejudice. “Here, Islam and Afghan identity are what matter,” he said.
Yaqub also pledged that Taliban forces would not serve foreign powers. “We have no ill intentions toward anyone; we want to have good relations with the entire world,” he said.
Reiterating the group’s opposition to foreign interference, the Taliban defence minister said: “We must remain vigilant against the conspiracies of foreigners, stand against any of their hostile actions, and not allow anyone to interfere in our affairs.”
