Afghan Taliban did not kill any Indian journalist, says spokesperson

KABUL: Afghan Taliban spokesperson has rejected the claims of killing the Reuters journalist from India, Danish Siddiqui, and said that Taliban did not kill any Indian journalist, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Afghan Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen, while talking to ARY News’ programme The Reporters, clarified that they did not kill any Indian journalist. He said that the Indian journalist [Danish Siddiqui] was killed in the exchange of fire during an armed clash and he came with the Afghan security forces.

During the interview, Suhail Shaheen said that the Afghan Taliban invited journalists to visit the areas under their control and report stories from there.

READ: REUTERS PHOTOG DANISH SIDDIQUI KILLED COVERING CLASH IN AFGHANISTAN

He added that the Afghan people have been ensured to live peacefully and they will not face any problems from the Taliban.

To a question, Shaheen said that the Afghan Taliban adopted the policy for not allowing the use of Afghan soil against other countries. He said that Ashraf Ghani had announced a military operation against the Afghan Taliban to which they were giving their response.

Afghan Taliban has the capability to counter any attack against them by the security forces. The spokesperson added that the US air force was conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan despite the continuation of peace dialogues which is a clear violation of the peace negotiations.

Suhail Shaheen said that the Taliban is willing to make Afghanistan a peaceful country besides rebuilding the state. He added that they were also willing to see development in the country and investment in the natural resources of Afghanistan.

He claimed that 10 provinces of Afghanistan are currently under the control of the Afghan Taliban.

He blamed the representatives of the Afghan government for exhibiting unseriousness during the dialogues. He also blamed the Afghan government for doing propaganda to create instability in China.

Shaheen reiterated that the Afghan Taliban will never allow the use of Afghan soil against any other country nor willing to see the existence of such group that carries out attacks on minorities.

He was of the view that alongside the Afghan nationals, the government employees, police and military officials were annoyed of the incumbent corrupt government. Shaheen claimed that the Afghan Taliban are warmly welcomed by citizens in the areas.

He added that they are also willing to build good ties with other countries including their neighbouring countries, however, they are against any kind of intervention by other countries in Afghanistan matters.

Regarding the actions of India, the Afghan Taliban spokesperson said that he had raised the issue of the arms supply to the ‘corrupt’ Afghan government by New Delhi during his interview to the Indian media.

He said that the weaponry provided by India to the Afghan government is being used against the Afghan nationals and it was considered as the enmity to the Afghan nation. The backing of a corrupt Afghan government was not in the interest of India, he added.

Suhail Shaheen, while responding to a question regarding ties with Pakistan, said that Afghanistan has the Islamic and cultural relations with Pakistan. He admitted that the peace or war in Afghanistan leaves its impact on Pakistan.