The Taliban leader assured this Sunday that the situation in the country has improved at all levels since the return to power of the organization, especially in the economic field, and that women live “more comfortably.”
In a congratulatory message on the occasion of Eid al Adha, the leader of the Taliban movement, Hibatullah Ajundzada, says that the country has been saved from “collapse” and that women now live “more comfortably”, but always within her strict interpretation of Islamic law.
The Eid al-Adha holiday will be celebrated this weekend in Afghanistan and other Islamic countries.
In the message, which strongly contrasts with the opinions of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and governments, including sympathizers of the fundamentalist movement, the Taliban leader assures that, for example, his government has fulfilled “its promises” to neighboring countries and now maintains good international relations, “especially with the Muslim world”.
“Just as we do not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, we do not allow others to interfere in ours,” he said in the message, transmitted by the group’s usual spokesman, the Deputy Minister of Information, Zabiullah Mujahid, and released by Tolo News.
The Taliban leader also congratulated the country’s economic situation, stating that “all those who predicted the collapse of Afghanistan turned out to be wrong”, and to whom he attributed a series of “sensible measures” and an exercise in “sincerity and transparency”.
Although a recent evaluation by the World Bank points to positive developments, such as the containment of inflation, the UN understands that the situation on the ground due to the lack of humanitarian aid continues to be dramatic in a country where 28.3 million Afghans need urgent help. to survive. .
Regarding women, Ajundzada said that the Taliban have taken concrete measures to save them from “traditional oppressions” such as forced marriage, and that “necessary measures have been taken to improve the well-being of women, since half of society they represent, so that they can have a more prosperous and comfortable life, in accordance with the Islamic Sharia”.
However, the Taliban leader made no reference to a possible decision to lift the current educational ban on Afghan girls and women who wish to attend secondary and university studies, nor to the numerous work restrictions imposed on women since his return to power, ago. almost two years. back.
Ajundzada, an Islamic scholar, rarely appears in public or leaves the Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan’s Kandahar province. He surrounds himself with other religious scholars and allies who oppose women’s education and work.
Lately, Ajundzada appears to have taken a stronger stance on domestic politics, banning girls’ education after the sixth grade and preventing Afghan women from participating in public life and working, especially in NGOs and the United Nations.
Despite initial promises of a more moderate government than during their previous period in power in the 1990s, the Taliban have cracked down since taking Afghanistan in August 2021, when US and NATO forces were clashing. withdrawing.
They barred women from public spaces, such as parks and gyms, and cracked down on press freedom.
The measures sparked a strong international outcry, increasing the country’s isolation at a time when its economy has collapsed and deepening a humanitarian crisis.
Ajundzada reiterated his call for other countries to stop interfering in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. He stated that the Taliban government intends to maintain good political and economic relations with the world, especially with Islamic countries, and that it has fulfilled its responsibility in this regard.
Ajundzada’s message also condemned Israel’s behavior towards the Palestinians and called on the Sudanese people and government to put aside their differences and work together towards unity and brotherhood.
Source: TSF
