RASC News Agency: In stark contrast to the Taliban’s assertions of a decisive military victory over the former Afghanistan government forces and American troops, Sirajuddin Haqqani, during a graduation ceremony for three Taliban pilots, made a surprising admission. He acknowledged that the security forces of the previous Afghanistan government were not provided with aerial support during their battles against the Taliban. The acting Interior Minister of the Taliban noted that the clashes between Taliban fighters and the former government’s security forces would often last for hours, but the Afghanistan forces fought without air cover. Haqqani went on to reveal that one of the newly graduated pilots had once been a member of the Taliban’s suicide bombing squad and, alongside his brother, had prepared for a suicide mission a mission they considered “sacred,” but ultimately did not complete. Haqqani continues to incite these operatives backed by regional and international intelligence networks to carry out such attacks in pursuit of “martyrdom.”
During the ceremony, Haqqani specifically mentioned “Rohullah Ubaida”, one of the newly graduated pilots, stating that both he and his brother had been ready for a suicide attack. He also highlighted “Naqibullah”, another pilot, who had spent 14 days traveling from Qalat, the capital of Zabul, to Laghman to boost the morale of Taliban fighters. Haqqani underscored the importance of these individuals, asserting that they held the weight of “three thousand men” in terms of their value to the Taliban’s cause.
Haqqani criticized the international community’s refusal to engage with the Taliban, deeming their stance as both baseless and unjust. He emphasized that the Taliban remains committed to its agreements with the United States, but he framed this commitment within the context of “jihad and victory.” Disturbingly, the Taliban has selected individuals from its pool of former suicide bombers to undergo pilot training, a move that raises serious concerns. Why is the Taliban entrusting the nation’s aviation to individuals with a history of suicide missions? What assurances exist that one day these pilots will not carry out attacks using aircraft laden with explosives in foreign countries? There are no such assurances. Over the past three years, the Taliban have enacted their will on the people of Afghanistan without regard for the fears of both the Afghanistani population and the broader international community.
Haqqani also touched upon the anxiety of neighboring nations concerning the Taliban’s continued presence in Afghanistan. He remarked that these countries feel insecure with the group in power, but failed to acknowledge the deeper concern of the Afghanistani people. The Afghanistani citizens themselves are even more apprehensive, facing the stark choice of enduring the Taliban’s rule or fleeing the country altogether.
