Taliban Terms China As Friend Of Afghanistan, Assures Not To Host Uyghur Islamic Militants From Xinjiang

Terrorist outfit Taliban has said that it perceived China as a ‘friend’ of Afghanistan and has confirmed that it will not host any Uyghur Islamic militants from the Xinjiang province.

It has assured that it will not permit the Uyghur fighters to enter Afghanistan and expressed hopes of holding discussions with Beijing regarding swift investments in reconstruction work.

This assertion comes amidst the Taliban’s declaration that it has gained control over 85 per cent of the territory in Afghanistan.

China is concerned about the Taliban’s rule paving the way for the war-torn country to become a hotbed for the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) linked to Al-Qaeda and is causing revolt and insurgency in Xinjiang.

However, the Taliban has mentioned that it will prohibit any terrorist group, including Al-Qaeda, in their region.

“We have been to China many times and we have good relations with them. China is a friendly country and we welcome it for reconstruction and developing Afghanistan. If (the Chinese) have investments, of course, we will ensure their safety,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told South China Morning Post, as quoted in a report by Business Standard.

Meanwhile, China has been critical of the US troop pullout from Afghanistan and has, in turn, asked Pakistan to expedite coordination to curb the risks regarding security in the country in the wake of the recent developments.