


The Taliban‘s Prime Minister, Mohammad Hassan Akhund, vowed on Saturday that any Afghans who fled the country after the collapse of the Western-backed government are welcome to return without fear of harm.
Akhund made the offer of amnesty during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, also known as the “Feast of Sacrifice.” More than a million Afghans are estimated to have left the country after the Taliban took it over in 2021.
Recommended Stories
- Guatemalan president reaffirms support for Taiwan as Beijing applies pressure
- Russia offers refuge to Musk amid war with Trump
- Netanyahu confirms Israel backing Palestinian militias fighting Hamas in Gaza
“Afghans who have left the country should return to their homeland,” he said. “Nobody will harm them.”
“Come back to your ancestral land and live in an atmosphere of peace,” he added, before instructing officials to support the return of refugees.
He said the media has made “false judgements” about the Taliban and its policies.
“We must not allow the torch of the Islamic system to be extinguished,” he said. “The media should avoid false judgments and should not minimize the accomplishments of the system. While challenges exist, we must remain vigilant.”
He also criticized the Trump administration’s new travel ban, which restricts citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S.
“Citizens from 12 countries are barred from entering their land — and Afghans are not allowed either,” he said. “Why? Because they claim the Afghan government has no control over its people and that people are leaving the country. So, oppressor! Is this what you call friendship with humanity?”
TRUMP VICTORY RAISES QUESTIONS OVER FUTURE OF UKRAINE MILITARY AID
The Taliban seized the country in 2021 as U.S. forces raced to leave. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. military controversially left billions of dollars in equipment behind, which President Donald Trump criticized his predecessor — blaming Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine on American weakness and incompetence he argued was on full display during the controversial Afghanistan withdrawal. Thirteen Americans were killed during the withdrawal.
Refugees also hurried to leave, climbing aboard full flights and crossing the country’s borders with Iran and Pakistan.