TKD Team
TKD EXCLUSIVE: Operation on Afghan Soil is an "Aggression", Taliban Effectively Combating ISKP; Zabiullah Mujahid
By | TKD Team
In an interview with The Khorasan Diary, Zabiullah Mujahid, the chief spokesman for the Afghan Interim Government, warned that any Pakistani operation inside Afghanistan would be considered an "aggression" and would lead to hatred.
Responding to recent remarks by Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif regarding potential Pakistani operations against Pakistani Taliban hideouts in Afghanistan as part of the newly launched anti-terror campaign, "Azm e Istehkam", by the Pakistani government, Mujahid stated: "Afghan defense ministry has already responded to it but any operation against Afghan soil will be considered as aggression and it will cause hatred.
Regarding Pakistan's concerns about Pakistani Taliban hideouts in Afghanistan, Mujahid denied the accusations and rather suggested joint cooperation to address the issue.
"We have reiterated that we want peace and stability in Pakistan. Pakistan should sort out its internal issues on its own. If they find any difficulty or have evidence, they should share it with us. We will take action against it. If we find out anyone in Afghanistan is fighting against Pakistan, we will take action against them. So, they should cooperate with us on this issue."
Mujahid also highlighted the social and cultural commonalities between the two countries, noting that 3 million Afghan migrants still reside in Pakistan.
On reconciliation with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Mujahid said: "If Pakistan wants us to mediate again, then we would, but if they do not ask us, then we will not interfere in their internal matter."
Mujahid responded to the ISKP threat in the interview, stating that the Taliban authorities are effectively carrying out operations against the group across Afghanistan and noting that most ISKP members come from other countries.
"Islamic State was present even before the arrival of the Emirate, but we carried out operations and eliminated them. The process is still ongoing. The attacks being carried out by ISKP, the perpetrators are coming from other countries. For example, in the Kandahar explosion (March 2024), the perpetrator was from Tajikistan. Similarly, some come from other regions," Mujahid said.
Watch the full interview to learn more about Mujahid's stance on other critical issues.