We are ready to end war, if Kabul starts inter-Afghan talks: Taliban spox

The Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid says that 'jihad' with the Afghanistan government is a must unless they, like the Americans, are willing to resolve issues through negotiations.

کد خبر: ۹۶۴۹۳۰

تاریخ: ۲۰ اسفند ۱۳۹۸ - ۱۴:۰۹

"According to a peace agreement signed between Taliban and US officials, US troops have six months to leave Afghanistan. But the Taliban will continue to its jihad with American puppets," Mujahid told MNA about the group's recent agreement with the United States.

Asked why the Taliban have stopped attacks on US forces but continues attacking Afghan forces, Mujahid said "Jihad in Afghanistan needs great care; we give Americans immunity to leave Afghanistan, but from the domestic point of view, we do not accept the American puppet government that has taken the power to serve American purposes and we will continue fighting until the Islamic rule in Afghanistan is established.

"Until that time, there is a need for pressure and war and we need to understand this," he stressed. " We should not make decisions emotionally. The jihadi issues need research and reasoning and all Afghans need to understand that we cannot let Ashraf Ghani destroy our jihadi ideals and we cannot say we regret the war".

Mujahid believes that the war with the Afghan government is a form of jihad. " Jihad begins for a legitimate and religious purpose and must continue until the end and the goals of jihad must be pursued," he continued.

He went on to say that jihad basically produces wars, makes deaths, destroys the economy and demolishes cities. "But it also has its benefits, and God will reward the Mujahideen, because it leads to the establishment of Islamic government, and if there is no jihad, the Islamic establishments will be destroyed. That is why jihad, despite all its devastating aspect, is a legitimate and reasonable issue".

He went on to say, "We have made jihad and removed the occupiers from the country, that is important of course, but if we do not establish an Islamic rule, all of our Jihadi aspirations will be destroyed."

Mujahid acknowledged that he Afghans are sick and tired of too many wars. "War is enough. We fight carefully so the people not to be harmed more".

Taliban spokesman added that the end of the war in Afghanistan depends on the beginning of inter-Afghan talks, saying: "Jihad with the government is a must unless they, like the Americans, are willing to negotiate with us to resolve issues through dialogue. We should pave the way to establish the Islamic system in the country.

However, in his earlier talks, Zabihullah Mujahid, had claimed that the Taliban are fighting the Afghan government because it is occupied by US forces. He had conditioned ending the war on the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.