Taliban to assist foreign troops: "Stay in Afghanistan and serve the country"

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Afghan soldiers take part in a military operation

Photo: Sanaullah Seiam / dpa

The militant Islamist Taliban have asked Afghan employees of the foreign armed forces in Afghanistan to remain in the country.

Afghans who had worked as translators, guards and otherwise for the foreign armed forces should show remorse for their cooperation with the foreign troops and should not take part in such activities in the future, according to a statement by the Islamists published on Monday.

"But nobody should leave the country at the moment."

The Taliban urged the staff of the foreign forces to return to their normal lives.

If they had expertise in any area, it should serve their country.

If they left the enemy and lived in the country as ordinary Afghans, they would run into no problems, according to the Islamists.

Tens of thousands of Afghans want to leave the country out of fear

Currently tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for the armed forces of NATO countries, including the Bundeswehr, and their families want to leave the country for fear of revenge actions by the Taliban.

According to its own information, the US embassy alone is currently processing more than 18,000 applications for special exit visas.

The majority of local forces in the Bundeswehr also want to seek protection in Germany according to information from the German Press Agency about the so-called local staff procedure.

In mid-May, the Bundeswehr recorded around 450 local Afghan workers.

Many local workers are unlikely to trust the Taliban's statements.

So far, official Taliban statements have referred to them as "slaves of the invaders" or "mercenaries" who are threatened with revenge.

A good 20 years after the start of the war in Afghanistan, the United States is pushing ahead with the withdrawal of its troops, more quickly than initially planned, according to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

US President Joe Biden announced in mid-April that American troops would withdraw by September 11th at the latest.

This also ends the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

The Islamists take part in peace talks, but with a clear claim to power.

Their return to power is already looming.

ire / dpa