Taliban Deny Media Report That They Seek Split With Al Qaeda - the Long War Journal
The Afghan Taliban’s official spokesman issued a statement rejecting a media report that the group seeks to sever ties with al Qaeda.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the official spokesman for the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” issued the statement earlier today in the Pashtu language section on the Taliban’s website, Voice of Jihad. A translation of the statement was obtained by The Long War Journal. Zabihullah said that a report in Asharq Alawsat, which summarized an article in Financial Times claiming that former Taliban officials said the group was willing to cut ties with al Qaeda, was not confirmed or sanctioned.
“It is clear that publishing such a report attributed to a few unknown former and current officials of the Islamic Emirate without any confirmation by the cultural commission or an official of the Islamic Emirate is contrary to all international media principles and values,” the statement attributed to Zabihullah said.
“The Islamic Emirate makes it clear that only those people qualify to be representatives of the Islamic Emirate who will be introduced formally by the political office of the Islamic Emirate in writing to a country or a party,” the statement continued.
Zabihullah described the report as the latest in a series of articles by “some opportunist individuals and parties” who “have committed and are committing such deceitful actions for some gains.”