Islamic Emirate Rejects USIP Report Claiming Terrorists in Afghanistan

But a spokesman for the Islamic Emirate stressed that the Afghan soil will not be used against any country. 

The Islamic Emirate denied the assessment of the US Institute of Peace that says the “Taliban” has continued “to harbor a range of terrorist groups that endanger their neighbors.”  

According to USIP, the “Taliban” has given sanctuary to “the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which threatens Pakistan; the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which threatens China; the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which threatens Uzbekistan; and ISIS-Khorasan Province, which threatens everyone (including the Taliban).”

But a spokesman for the Islamic Emirate stressed that the Afghan soil will not be used against any country.

“The Islamic  Emirate does not allow anyone to threaten other countries from Afghan soil. Such allegations made in this regard are not true. Unfortunately, such allegations are published without evidence or proof. It is based on inaccurate information and propaganda,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.

According to USIP, one year after the Islamic Emirate came to power, Afghanistan’s neighbors in the region are coming to grips “with the reality that they now own a greater share of Afghanistan’s problems and the Taliban realize that neither recognition nor financial aid are going to come from the region easily.”

The analysts give various opinions on the matter:

“The neighbors of Afghanistan are concerned and the neighbors of Afghanistan want the recognition of Afghanistan because Afghanistan then would be obliged to follow up with some international conventions. This could not be solved only via some verbal assurances by Kabul,” said Torek Farhadi, a political analyst.

“If the neighbors really have concerns regarding Afghanistan, they should recognize Afghanistan,, so their concerns could be addressed,” said Janat Fahim Chakari, an international relations analyst.

The assessment said that the regional powers, particularly Iran, Russia and China, were happy to see US and NATO troops go but are not in a position to replace the massive amounts of development assistance.

Islamic Emirate Rejects USIP Report Claiming Terrorists in Afghanistan