Taliban denies former US envoy's claims of Al-Qaeda's presence in Afghanistan

The Taliban has denied the statements of former US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad who raised concerns over the presence of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, and said that such information has not been received yet.

The Taliban has denied the statements of former US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad who raised concerns over the presence of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, and said that such information has not been received yet. Khalilzad had commented on Al-Qaeda in an American broadcasting company CBS, reported TOLOnews.

"The reports that I have seen indicate that (leader of Al-Qaeda) could be in Afghanistan or adjacent territory, I don't know whether the Taliban knows it or not," TOLOnews reported Khalilzad as saying. He further stated that the US was keeping an eye on the promises and commitments made by the Taliban after their takeover of Afghanistan on August 15.

However, the deputy minister of information and culture, Zabiullah Mujahid denied Khalilzad's statements and said that such information has not been received yet. "No, I don't see such a danger; someone like that does not exist here and we haven't received the information on such a level," TOLOnews quoted Mujahid as saying.

Notably, one of the biggest points of discussion during the US-Taliban talks in Doha was the cutting of ties between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Earlier, after he had stepped down from his position of US Representative to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad said that Afghans are facing great challenges in the war-torn country.

"US forces are out, and the war is over for the United States, but this is not the final chapter. The Afghan people face great challenges ahead, including on the economy and security," Khalilzad said in a tweet. (ANI)

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