Afghanistan's Taliban government has seized on an off-the-cuff remark by U.S. President Joe Biden to underscore its claim that there was no Al-Qaeda threat in the country. Biden had said "all the evidence is coming back" and quoted himself around the time of the pullout in mid-2021 as saying, "Al-Qaeda would not be there" and "I said we'd get help from the Taliban," before adding, "I was right." On July 1, the Taliban regime's Foreign Ministry said, "We consider remarks by U.S. President Joe Biden about the nonexistence of armed groups in Afghanistan as acknowledgement of reality." It added a criticism of a recent UN report alleging that more than 20 armed groups are in Afghanistan.
Afghan Taliban Says Biden 'Acknowledged Reality' About Al-Qaeda
- By AFP
Editors' Picks
Afghanistan/Pakistan Trending
1
Four Years On, UN Says Taliban Close To 'Erasing' Afghan Women From Public Life
2After Key Report On Afghanistan, State Department Says Taliban Was Keeping Aid
3Kabul's Quiet Resistance: Young Afghans Navigate Life Under The Taliban
4China Dangles Belt And Road Investment To Mend Taliban-Pakistan Ties
5World Food Program Warns Of 'Unprecedented' Hunger Crisis In Afghanistan
6Bad Move: Taliban's Chess Ban Adds To Crackdown On Sports And Pastimes
7Russia Boosts The Taliban's Quest For Legitimacy. Who Will Be Next?
8Taliban Restrictions Blamed For Surge In Suicides Among Afghans
9Death Toll Rises As Heavy Rains Devastate Northwestern Pakistan
10Pakistan Hit By More Fatal Flooding As Recovery Crews Look For Dead
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.