The consequences of the killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda, were revealed in Kabul on Sunday, in the midst of the angry and mutual reactions of the supporters of this organization against the Taliban movement, which took power by force after retreating. Foreign forces last August
The Washington Post reported that the killing of the al-Qaeda leader by US drone missiles “is a humiliating blow to the Taliban regime, which secretly hosted the extremist in the heart of the Afghan capital for months but failed to keep him safe.”
As the Taliban prepare to celebrate their first year in power later this month, the newspaper reported, “the attack sparked violent backlash against the beleaguered regime at home, with comments on social media calling for They were revenge.”
Among these statements was a post by an Afghan user named “Ehsanullah” on Twitter, which was published after the statement of the Taliban spokesman following the killing of al-Zawahiri on Tuesday, in which he wrote: “If al-Zawahiri’s martyrdom is confirmed. So shame on you for not being able to protect the real hero of Islam.”
The newspaper noted that “the assassination of al-Zawahiri, the hero of radical Islamist groups and the wanted terrorist in the West, crystallized the ongoing conflict between the moderate and extremist factions of the Taliban regime.”
He noted that “many leaders of the Haqqani network occupy powerful positions in the regime.”
This newspaper quoted Anas Haqqani, one of the influential figures in the Taliban movement who participated in the Doha peace talks, saying that “this attack by the United States is a barbaric act and will have serious consequences.” The United States has forgotten. past experiences.”
Some Afghan and American analysts say that the latest US attack “may harden the Taliban’s position and push the regime to openly embrace the extremist forces that it has pledged to renounce in the 2020 peace agreement with the United States.” “
“The Taliban are now in deep political trouble and will face pressure to retaliate,” said Esfandiar Mir, an expert on Islamic extremism at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington.
“Their relationship with al-Qaeda and other jihadist groups is still very strong. I think we have to prepare for the impact of that,” he added.
And last June, the Taliban called on governments around the world to lift sanctions and release central bank assets, following an earthquake that killed more than a thousand people and displaced thousands.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: “The Islamic Emirate wants the world to give the basic right of Afghans, which is their right to life, by canceling sanctions, freeing our assets and providing aid.”
While humanitarian aid continues to flow into Afghanistan, funding for long-term development was cut short when the Taliban took control of the country last August as foreign forces withdrew.
The extremist government of the Taliban is not officially recognized by international governments.
Billions of dollars in Afghanistan’s central bank’s reserves have been frozen abroad, and sanctions are crippling the banking sector as the West pushes for concessions on human rights.
Source: Lebanon Debate
