Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated on Monday that the Taliban should “end the occupation of their brothers’ soil”, and gave iota importance to a warning from the militant group of consequences if Turkish troops remain in Afghanistan to run Kabul airport. “(The Taliban) need to end the occupation of their brothers’ soil and show the world that peace is prevailing in Afghanistan right away”, said the Turkish President.
Moreover, Tayyip Erdogan stated that the Taliban’s approach was not the way that Muslims should deal with each other. Ankara has offered to run and guard Kabul airport in the capital after NATO withdraws. The Taliban warned Turkey against those plans to keep some troops in Afghanistan to run the airport, calling the strategy ‘invasion’.
The Taliban ruled Afghanistan with an iron fist from 1996 to 2001 and have fought for 20 years to topple the Western-backed government in Kabul and reimpose Islamic rule. They are making a fresh push now to gain territory as foreign forces pull out. With the Taliban claiming 85% of Afghanistan to their hold.