Appoints Former Guantanamo Detainee As Minister Of Defense, Taliban Guarantees Security And No Retaliation

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid (standing). (Twitter/@Natsecjeff)

JAKARTA - The Taliban group reiterated that it wants the entire process of withdrawing foreign troops, including the evacuation process carried out through Kabul airport, to be completed on schedule, August 31.

Along with this, the Taliban again asked Afghans who packed Kabul airport, in the hope of being evacuated abroad, not to be afraid and to be able to return home, with the Taliban saying there would be no retaliation against civilians.

"We guarantee their safety," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said at a news conference in the capital Kabul, citing Reuters Aug. 25.

On the same occasion, Mujahid also asked the United States not to encourage Afghans to leave their homeland. According to him, the Taliban wants to resolve the situation through dialogue. He also urged foreign embassies not to close or stop work.

"We have guaranteed their security," Mujahid repeated, emphasizing the security guarantees that the Taliban provide for Afghans.

It is known that Taliban leaders, who have been building a moderate image since capturing Kabul on August 15, have started talks over forming a government, including discussions with some of their old enemies, one of whom is former President Hamid Karzai.

The Taliban appointed a former Guantanamo detainee, Mullah Abdul Qayyum Zakir, as acting defense minister, Qatar-based news channel Al Jazeera said, citing a source in the Islamist movement. Meanwhile, several former Afghan government officials say they have been ordered back to work.

Many Afghans fear retaliation and a return to the harsh version of sharia (Islamic law) that the Taliban imposed when in power from 1996 to 2001, particularly the suppression of women.

"There is no list of people targeted for retaliation and we are trying to make procedures so that women can return to work," Mujahid said.