Afghanistan: Taliban warn there will be “consequences” if Biden delays US troop withdrawal | World news

The deadline for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is only days away and the desperate evacuation of people is running out of time.

The Taliban met Sky News in Doha to discuss what will happen next – and issued a stern warning about withdrawing troops from the country.

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Taliban spokesman Dr Suhail Shaheen said: “It’s a red line. President Biden announced that on August 31 they would withdraw all their military forces. So if they extend it, it means that they are extending the occupation when it is not necessary. “

He added: “If the United States or the United Kingdom were looking for more time to continue with the evacuations, the answer is no. Or there would be consequences. It would create mistrust between us. If they intend to continue the occupation, that will provoke a reaction. “

Speaking after the interview, US Department of Defense press secretary John Kirby said: “We saw the Taliban spokesman’s public statements on their views on August 31, I think. that we all understand this point of view.

He added: “The goal is to get as many people out as quickly as possible, and while we are happy to see the numbers we got yesterday, we are not going to rest on laurels.

“The goal is to try to do it as best we can by the end of the month and as secretary [of Defence] said, if it’s – if we need, if he needs – to have further conversations with the Commander-in-Chief about this timeline, he will but we’re just not at it stadium right now.

It comes as Boris Johnson is set to make a personal plea with Joe Biden for extend a deadline for US troops leaving Afghanistan allow more people to escape the Taliban reign of terror.

The couple spoke by phone on Monday, with the White House saying: “They discussed the ongoing efforts of our diplomatic and military personnel to evacuate their citizens, local personnel and other vulnerable Afghans.

“They also discussed plans for the virtual meeting of G7 leaders tomorrow, stressing the importance of close coordination with allies and partners to manage the current situation and forge a common approach to Afghan politics.”

Speaking about the Taliban’s comments to Sky News, a spokesperson for the prime minister said: “I have seen the reports. I don’t think we have had any direct communication to that end.

“We will continue to conduct our evacuation process as long as the security situation allows.” However, Mr Kirby hinted that the evacuations could continue after the departure of the United States.

He said: “It is important to remember that we are not the only ones bringing the evacuees out.

“So it is certainly conceivable that even without an American military footprint [in Afghanistan], that people could still get out of Kabul. “

The comments come as Western troops race against time to evacuate thousands of Afghans, many of them are young families, from Kabul airport.

People prepared to leave everything and risk their lives to escape life under the rule of the militant group.

When he insisted on this issue – that people hanging onto a plane leaving the country is far from routine during a political transition – Dr Shaheen called it economic migration.

He said: “I assure you it’s not about being worried or scared.

“They want to reside in western countries and it is a kind of economic migration because Afghanistan is a poor country and 70% of the Afghan population live below the poverty line, so everyone wants to resettle in the countries Westerners to have a prosperous life. [being] scared.”

But fear is something we hear time and time again from Afghan citizens and refugees.

Video footage emerged claiming the Taliban was going door-to-door threatening people and looking for former government employees. There are also reports of girls’ schools being closed in some provinces.

“All fake news,” Dr Shaheen said in response to the information. “I can assure you that there are many reports from our opponents saying this is not based on facts.”

In recent days, 300 students – mostly girls – have been evacuated to Qatar for their safety. Women fought hard for their rights in Afghanistan – for education, careers, fundamental freedoms and opportunities.

But many women and girls are now terrified of what they stand to lose under the Taliban.

Dr Shaheen said: “They will not lose anything. Only if they do not have a hijab, they will have a hijab… women should have the same rights as you in your country, but with a hijab.”

Pressed on this issue that nothing will change, Dr Shaheen insists: “Now the teachers have returned to work. Nothing lost. Women journalists have returned to their jobs. Nothing lost.”

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Female broadcasters have been seen again since the Taliban took control of the country. But there are many other accounts of women who say they are too afraid to go back to work or have been told to stay home.

There are fears that conditions in the country will deteriorate after the withdrawal of international troops and foreign media.

And as that date quickly approaches for British, American and NATO forces to leave Afghanistan, I asked what the Taliban would say to the families of those who died trying to help Afghanistan.

Dr Shaheen said: “They occupied our country. If we occupy your country. What will you tell me? What if I killed your people in your country, what would you say?

“I think everyone has suffered a lot. Bloodbath. Destruction. Everything. But we say the past is the past. Part of our past history. Now we want to focus on the future.”