The Taliban are more qualified to run a future political set-up in Afghanistan than the current Kabul government amid a surge in violence and mounting doubts about the future of US-backed peace negotiations.
Taliban officials said last week that the group had taken control of 85 percent of territory in Afghanistan, a claim the Kabul government dismissed as a propaganda campaign launched as foreign forces, including from the US, withdrew after almost 20 years of fighting.
The Taliban spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, said that “tens of districts” were surrendering to the insurgents daily, saying this was happening despite the “weapons and armaments” available with Afghan security forces.
In the last two weeks, the Taliban have overrun areas bordering five countries: Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China and Pakistan. Taliban spokesman gave an interview to Arab News.
When asked if the Taliban had the expertise and budget to run the day-to-day affairs of the areas they were capturing, Shaheen replied: “We are the people of Afghanistan. We are living among the people. We have experience not only for one year (but) for the past 25 years. Our governors, security chiefs, provincial security chiefs, the judges and all commissions, which are equal to a ministry, have been working for the last 25 years. So all our people have experience.
He said there was no change in the movement of people and goods on the border crossings the Taliban had captured, and that traders were carrying on with businesses “normally.”
“Now, under the control of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, they are doing it without any corruption, easily and normally. They are very happy with that.”
Shaheen said schools, offices, and all other establishments in Taliban-captured territories had been asked to remain open and functioning.
