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Days after taking over the country, Taliban declared the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” on Thursday.
Taliban have decided to establish the Islamic Emirate on the occasion of Afghanistan’s 102nd anniversary of independence from British rule, the group’s spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid spokesman said in a tweet.
Mujahid, in his first-ever press conference on Tuesday, had said that the new regime would be “positively different” from their 1996-2001 stint.
The United States ultimately led the invasion of Afghanistan to topple the Taliban because they continued to provide sanctuary for Al-Qaeda after the September 11 attacks.
Mujahid had said the group does not harbour any kind of hostility with anyone, will support women’s rights and free media under Islamic law.
“We want to do away with the factors for conflict. Therefore, the Islamic Emirate does not have any kind of hostility or animosity towards anybody,” he said, with an interpreter translating his speech in English. He added that all animosity “has come to an end”.
“We would like to live peacefully. We do not want any internal enemies or external enemies,” he said.
The Taliban would not seek retribution against former soldiers and members of the Western-backed government, the spokesman said, adding the movement was granting an amnesty for former Afghan government soldiers as well as contractors and translators who worked for international forces.
“War has ended […] (the leader) has pardoned everyone,” he said.
Mujahid noted that Afghanistan is at a historic stage where the country’s men and women are looking to the Taliban with regard to their future.
“I would like to assure [them] that after consultations that will be completed very soon, we will be witnessing the formation of a strong, Islamic, and inclusive government, InshaAllah.”