Ahmad Massoud, leader of Afghanistan’s National Resistance Front, says the current crisis in the country is a direct result of Taliban policies, accusing the group of sheltering the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and more than 20 other militant organisations.
Ahmad Massoud said the Taliban had previously triggered foreign intervention by sheltering Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaida and were now responsible for renewed attacks by hosting Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other militant groups.
However, he said opposition to the Taliban should not translate into support for bombing or foreign aggression.
Massoud made the remarks on Sunday, March 8, during an online event held to mark International Women’s Day.
He said the Taliban had turned Afghanistan into what he described as a place of suffering for its people and a haven for militant groups.
Massoud said Pakistan’s recent attacks had produced two types of reactions among Afghans. According to him, some people supported the strikes due to their resentment toward Taliban rule, while others opposed any foreign intervention in Afghanistan.
He said he supported a middle position between the two views and rejected foreign military attacks, arguing they would not bring meaningful results.
Massoud also said that no invasion anywhere in the world leads to freedom or dignity.
He added that while he opposed foreign military attacks on Afghanistan, he also rejected political engagement with the Taliban and said the solution for the region and the world was to listen to the Afghan people.
Fighting between Taliban forces and Pakistan has continued for more than 10 days.
The clashes began after the Taliban’s retaliatory attacks on Pakistani border posts.
Before those strikes, Pakistan carried out air attacks on targets in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces of Paktika and Nangarhar.
The Taliban called the strikes a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and claimed civilians were targeted.
Both sides say they have inflicted hundreds of casualties on each other, while international organisations have confirmed the deaths of dozens of Afghan civilians in the fighting.
