Taliban Commander Regrets Remarks on Potential Invasion of Tajikistan

RASC News Agency: Mawlawi Amanuddin Mansoor, a Tajik-born commander in the Taliban, has expressed regret over his previous comments regarding a potential invasion of Tajikistan, clarifying that the Taliban has no intentions of attacking the neighboring country. A video emerged recently in which Mansoor appeared to threaten the conquest of Tajikistan. However, he has since stated that the video was recorded some time ago. Mansoor, who commands the 217th Omari Corps of the Taliban in Kunduz, issued a statement through a new video, distancing himself from the earlier remarks. He explained:
“The statements that were published were outdated and belong to the past.” He further stressed that the video had been manipulated and misrepresented by the Taliban’s adversaries to damage the diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Mansoor had previously claimed that, should he be granted permission, the Taliban could capture Badakhshan, a region in northeastern Tajikistan, within a day. However, he clarified: “Our enemies altered the video and released it to the media in an attempt to harm our relations with Tajikistan. We have no intention of attacking Tajikistan.”
In his message to Tajikistan’s officials, Mansoor reaffirmed the Taliban’s commitment to the Doha Agreement and assured them that: “No harm will be caused to any country from Afghanistan soil.”
He expressed regret for his previous remarks, emphasizing that Afghanistan and Tajikistan have historically shared good relations and that no harm has ever come from Tajikistan, nor will any harm be inflicted in the future. Previously, in another video, Mansoor had suggested that, if permitted, the Taliban would attack Tajikistan, with some of his colleagues present in the video claiming that Tajikistan would not be able to defend itself against such an assault. They had stated:
“If our leaders give the green light, we will quickly capture Tajikistan’s border cities.” While the time and location of the earlier video remain unspecified, Mansoor has reaffirmed that it was recorded in the past. These remarks come amid growing tensions along the border between the Taliban and neighboring countries since the group’s return to power in Afghanistan. Tajikistan has repeatedly expressed concerns about potential threats emanating from Afghanistan, fearing that attacks launched from Taliban-controlled territories could destabilize their borders.