KABUL: The supreme leader of Afghanistan has issued a warning to Taliban members, advising them against carrying out attacks outside the country. The defense minister, Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, conveyed this message to members of Afghanistan’s security forces during a speech broadcast on state television. He stated that fighting abroad is not considered “jihad.” Instead, it is viewed as war, which has been prohibited by Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
According to the statement, if anyone goes outside Afghanistan for jihad, it will not be considered as such. He emphasized that if the leader (emir) of the Taliban prohibits the fighters from engaging in battle outside Afghanistan. However, if they still do so, it will be considered war, not jihad.
These remarks come after Pakistan reported that Afghan citizens were involved in a series of suicide attacks within its borders. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif refrained from directly accusing Afghanistan’s Taliban government of permitting attacks from its territory. However, he did suggest that Pakistan militants were operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, Pakistan has experienced an increase in militant attacks in its western border regions. These attacks have been attributed to groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State (IS). The Afghan Taliban authorities maintain that they do not allow their country’s soil to be used for plotting attacks against other nations.
In Islam, the term “jihad” covers a wide range of religious struggles, from personal spiritual endeavors to participating in combat.
