Back to Taliban First Presser on August 17, 2021: ‘Afghanistan no Longer a Battlefield’

In a first official press conference since the seizure of the Afghan capital of Kabul, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid congratulated the Afghan people on being “emancipated” from 20 years of occupation and said “freedom and independence” was the legitimate right of every nation. “After 20 years of struggle, we have emancipated [the country] and expelled foreigners. We don’t want any external or internal enemies,” Mujahid told reporters on Tuesday. “We want to make sure Afghanistan is no longer a battlefield of conflicts. We have pardoned all those who have fought against us. Animosities have come to an end.” The spokesman…