RASC News Agency: The spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State recently asserted that Washington holds the Taliban accountable for the escalating activities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan under their influence. Matthew Miller articulated these statements on Thursday, January 4, during a press conference addressing the surge in terrorist activities in Afghanistan. He added that the killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul signifies the United States’ perception of Afghanistan being under the dominance of the Taliban.
Mr. Miller reiterated in his ongoing discourse during this press conference that the Taliban must commit to their obligations to prevent the activities of terrorist groups in Afghanistan under their control. He emphasized that they should not permit these groups to operate and maintain a presence. The spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State further emphasized that the Taliban is urged to take decisive actions against terrorist and quasi-military groups. Making an indirect reference to the killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, he warned that if necessary, the United States would target these groups in Afghanistan.
He stated, “We continue to monitor the situation in Afghanistan.”
This development unfolds as the Taliban declares that quasi-military groups like Al-Qaeda are not categorized as terrorists. Despite the desires of Western and regional countries, they assert that they won’t expel these groups from Afghanistan soil and affirm that they won’t allow these groups to launch attacks against other countries.
It is noteworthy that neighboring and regional countries have expressed concerns multiple times about the presence and activities of terrorist and quasi-military groups under the Taliban’s control in Afghanistan. However, the Taliban consistently dismisses these claims, asserting that they do not permit any group to use Afghanistan soil against neighboring and regional countries.
