Taliban-appointed acting Defence Minister Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said that the attacks on mosques, monasteries, religious scholars and public gatherings that took place after Taliban seized power were carried out after foreigners, particularly the citizens of Tajikistan. He said that Pakistani citizens were involved in organising many attacks, Afghanistan-based TOLO News reported.
Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said, “After the Islamic Emirate came into power, the attacks on mosques, monasteries, religious scholars and public gatherings were all carried out by foreigners, especially the citizens of Tajikistan. Dozens of Tajikistan citizens have been killed in our operations and dozens of others have been arrested.”
Also, in the second step, Pakistani citizens have been involved in organizing many attacks. More than twenty Pakistani citizens have been killed in the operations of our security forces, and dozens of others have been arrested alive,” he added, according to TOLO News report.
Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid further said that a number of these fighters have been killed and hundreds of them have been arrested due to the launch of joint security operations, TOLO News reported.
He claimed that ISIS has been defeated in Afghanistan and reiterated the Taliban’s commitment to not use Afghan soil against other countries. While addressing a news conference of the Security and Clearing Affairs Commission on December 31, he spoke about the achievements of security in the past 12 months.
He spoke about the serious fight against ISIS and added that they will defeat the seditious groups and destroy them. Mujahid said that any military action taken by the Taliban is considered a rebellion and added that the Taliban is committed to destroying those who rebel against it.
He urged neighbouring nations to seriously control their land and air borders. Taliban-appointed minister said, “In Afghanistan, security is ensured throughout the country. The incidents of evil and seditious circles have decreased by 90 per cent in the past twelve months compared to the previous twelve months. After the end of the invasion and corruption [coming of the Islamic Emirate into power], almost all of them have been suppressed. Their operational networks have been destroyed, the leaders and designers of the bloody attacks and those in charge of their destructive networks have either been killed or arrested.”
Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said that hundreds of kidnappers were arrested and killed and over 200 people were rescued from their clutches due to the serious fight against kidnappers. He also said that the security forces have stopped 99 per cent of smuggling of money, precious stones and currencies from Afghanistan in the past year.
Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid rejected the allegations about the smuggling and sale of weapons left by foreign forces and said that a commission has been formed to maintain this equipment, TOLO News reported.
He said, “The Islamic Emirate has taken necessary measures in the area of preventing arms smuggling inside Afghanistan and from Afghanistan abroad. In the past two years, hundreds of smugglers have been caught and tens of thousands of weapons have been collected from irresponsible people. Now in some of the neighboring countries there are centres of production, smuggling and sale of weapons and they are operating.”
Taliban-appointed ministers said that 20 provinces of Afghanistan have a common border with six nations that have established 108 military centers, 63 military bases, and 600 security stations with all facilities and equipment to fight possible threats in these areas.