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Developments in Afghanistan

Taliban spokesman cannot confirm Afghan government will be sworn in on September 11

The Taliban formed an interim government on September 8

MOSCOW, September 8. /TASS/. Muhammad Suhail Shaheen, the spokesman for the Taliban’s (outlawed in Russia) political office in Qatar, has no information that Afghanistan’s new government will be sworn in on September 11.

"I don’t have details about it," he told TASS on Wednesday, commenting on reports about a possible inauguration ceremony for the new government on September 11.

On September 11, 2001, terrorists from the terrorist group al-Qaeda (banned in Russia) hijacked four passenger planes in the United States. They crashed two of the planes into New York’s tallest buildings at that time, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. The third plane was flown into the Pentagon near Washington. The fourth was also bound for the US capital, but crashed outside Shanksville in Pennsylvania. The attacks claimed the lives of 2,997 people.

Following the 9/11 attacks, the then US president, George W. Bush, announced the start of a military operation in Afghanistan, which aimed to remove the Taliban from power in the country, destroy terrorist bases and capture al-Qaeda leaders. By December 2001, the Taliban rule had been toppled.

After the United States had announced the withdrawal of its military personnel from the country this spring, the Taliban (outlawed in Russia) mounted a massive operation to regain control over Afghanistan. On August 15, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani stepped down and fled the country, and the Taliban forces swept into Kabul, meeting no resistance. On September 6, they claimed full control of Afghanistan’s territory. On September 8, the Taliban formed an interim government, which includes only its members. The radicals were unable to approve the cabinet for two weeks, citing "technical problems."

On February 14, 2003, Russia’s Supreme Court handed down a ruling declaring the Taliban to be a terrorist organization. In the Court’s another ruling on the same day, al-Qaeda was declared a terrorist organization as well. Both are outlawed in Russia.

Tags

Power transfer in Afghanistan

Military operation in Ukraine

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