https://arab.news/n4rbv
- Media reports in India, Afghanistan and Iran suggest Pakistan supported the Taliban in the assault
- Pakistani army spokesperson rejects allegations of involvement as “false” propaganda
KABUL: The Taliban on Tuesday rejected claims there was “foreign interference” in the group’s Sunday assault on Panjshir Valley north of Kabul as Iran said it was investigating whether the Taliban had gotten outside help in capturing the last holdout Afghan province.
The Taliban announced on Monday they had seized Panjshir, with media reports in India, Afghanistan and Iran suggesting Pakistan supported the Taliban in the fight. IRNA, Iran’s state-run news agency, quoted the country’s foreign ministry spokesman as saying Tehran was investigating ‘foreign interference.’
A spokesperson for the Pakistani military said on Monday reports of Pakistan’s involvement in Panjshir were “false and irrational propaganda.”
“Taliban had the capability to conquer Panjshir, and there was no need for any airpower,” Enamullah Samangani, the Taliban’s cultural commission member, told Arab News on Tuesday, referring to news reports that Pakistani air force jets took part in the assault. “We deny such allegations.”
Iran, which shares a 900 kilometer long border with Afghanistan, did not recognize the Taliban during its previous rule from 1996 to 2001 after which the group was ousted from power in a US-led invasion.
Political analysts said accusations of foreign invasion in Panjshir must be investigated.
“If such a thing has happened, then the neighboring countries must stop their interference as Afghanistan has got a new opportunity,” Ahmad Saeedi, a Kabul-based political analyst, said.
The Taliban group, which seized Kabul on August 15 after a stunning sweep across Afghanistan, announced Tuesday that UN-sanctioned Taliban veteran Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund would be the leader of their new government, while giving key positions to some of the movement’s top officials.