Taliban to announce 'interim' govt soon, seeks recognition

Taliban has said the new Afghan government to be announced soon could be an "interim government", with a view towards changes in future, as it claimed seizing the last holdout in northern Panjshir Valley. 

Three weeks after seizing power but with no government so far announced, the spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that an "interim" system would first be announced to allow for changes.

"Final decisions have been taken, we are now working on the technical issues," he said at a press conference in the capital Kabul on Monday.

"We will announce the new government as soon as the technical issues are resolved."

International recognition sought

Mujahid said that Taliban realises that peace and stability are must for investments, and hopes for good relations with all neighbours, including China.

"The war has ended, the country is getting out of the crisis. It is now time for peace and reconstruction. We need the people to support us."

He told that "Afghanistan has the right to be recognised".

"The international community should open their embassies in Kabul," he said.

Taliban has reportedly invited Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, China, Russia and Qatar to attend ceremony for government announcement. 

Taliban says any insurgency will be 'hit hard'

The Taliban spokesperson also called on former members of the Afghan forces to integrate with the new governors.

"The Afghan forces who were trained in the past 20 years will be asked to rejoin the security departments alongside Taliban members," Mujahid said.

He added that any insurgency against its rule will be "hit hard", after declaring victory in Panjshir Valley. 

"The Islamic Emirate is very sensitive about insurgencies. Anyone who tries to start an insurgency will be hit hard.

We will not allow another," Mujahid said.

"Anyone who picks up arms and start another resistance, without any doubts, will be our enemy."

Mujahid also said that Afghan women should not hold demonstrations because of ongoing "sensitive security situation",  saying protest is their right "but they have to communicate with us".

He also said that a Taliban fighter has been arrested for misbehaving with women protesters last week. 

Reopening of Kabul airport 

A key issue for the Taliban is the reopening of the airport in Kabul, which was the scene of a massive US-led evacuation plan that ended last week.

Qatar has been working with the Taliban on getting the airport back up and running, and Mujahid said "serious efforts" were under way to restore operations.

"Technical teams from Qatar, Turkey and UAE are working hard to repair the equipment," he said, adding international flights will resume "soon".

The final days of America's 20-year war in Afghanistan were marked by a harrowing airlift at Kabul’s airport to evacuate tens of thousands of people — Americans and their allies — who feared what the future would hold.

The Taliban's lightning blitz across the country took less than a week to overrun some 300,000 Afghan government troops, most of whom surrendered or fled.

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