Taliban government has slammed U.S. President Joe Biden for calling Afghanistan a “Godforsaken place”, saying US leader did it out of frustration.
On Friday, US President targeted Afghanistan during an address to war veterans at an election rally in San Diego.
“A lot of you have been to Afghanistan. I’ve been to every part of it. It’s a Godforsaken place — it’s a Godforsaken place.” He said.
The U.S. president pulled out all American troops along with NATO allies in August 2021, after two decades of war with the then-Taliban insurgency. The withdrawal encouraged the Islamist group to immediately regain control of Afghanistan.
Chief Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid on Saturday responded to Mr Biden’s remarks at a news conference in Kabul, sayhing that the US leader was doing so in frustration because his party was losing the midterm elections in the US.
“Those making such remarks are doing so out of their frustration and envy for Afghanistan,” Zabihullah Mujahid said. He went on to tout the return of peace and stability to the South Asian nation since the Taliban takeover, saying Afghans “are going about with their daily lives normally.”
Mujahid said Saturday the Taliban did not require support from other nations to rebuild the country, arguing that Afghans are “capable” of doing it on their own. “However, our objective is, and so is our need, to seek better and trustworthy diplomatic relations with the international community, including America,” he said.
The Taliban defend their policies, saying they are in line with Afghan culture and Islamic tenets. They also have dismissed calls for ensuring political inclusivity in the government, saying all Afghan groups are adequately represented in it.
