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world news Diaranson 18 augustus 2021

Taliban promise women's rights, security under Islamic rule

KABUL, Afghanistan them from power months
(AP) — The Taliban after the 9/11 attacks, which
vowed Tuesday to respect al-Qaida had orchestrated
women's rights, forgive from Afghanistan while be-
those who fought them ing sheltered by the Taliban.
and ensure Afghanistan
does not become a haven Zabihullah Mujahid, the Tal-
for terrorists as part of a iban's longtime spokesman,
publicity blitz aimed at emerged from the shadows
reassuring world powers Tuesday in his first-ever
and a fearful population. public appearance to address
those concerns at a news con-
Following a lightning offen- ference.
sive across Afghanistan that
saw many cities fall to the He promised the Taliban
insurgents without a fight, would honor women's rights
the Taliban have sought to within the norms of Islamic
portray themselves as more law, without elaborating.
moderate than when they The Taliban have encour-
imposed a strict form of Is- aged women to return to
lamic rule in the late 1990s. work and have allowed girls
But many Afghans remain to return to school, handing
skeptical — and thousands out Islamic headscarves at the
have raced to the airport, des- door. A female news anchor
perate to flee the country. interviewed a Taliban official Muslim countries, including to be used as a base for attack-
Monday in a TV studio. neighboring Pakistan, have ing other countries, as it was The Pentagon said U.S. com-
Older generations remem- had female prime ministers, in the years before 9/11. That manders are communicat-
ber the Taliban's previous The treatment of women var- while ultraconservative Saudi assurance was part of a 2020 ing with the Taliban as they
rule, when they largely con- ies widely across the Muslim Arabia only recently allowed peace deal reached between work to evacuate thousands
fined women to their homes, world and sometimes even women to drive. the Taliban and the Trump of people through Kabul's in-
banned television and music, within the same country, administration that paved the ternational airport. It said the
and held public executions. with rural areas tending to be Mujahid also said the Taliban way for the American with- Taliban have taken no hostile
A U.S.-led invasion drove far more conservative. Some would not allow Afghanistan drawal. actions there.

EU eyes talks with Taliban but no plans to recognize them

BRUSSELS (AP) — The exodus of refugees as a hu- pend development assistance suggest at Wednesday's meet-
European Union has no manitarian crisis unfolds in to the Afghan government "We cannot abandon them," ing of EU interior minis-
immediate plans to rec- the conflict-ravaged country. now that the Taliban has Borrell said. ters that deportation centers
ognize the Taliban after seized power, but the 27-na- be set up in countries that
their sweeping victory in "We have to get in touch tion bloc is weighing wheth- Many countries in Europe are neighbor Afghanistan.
Afghanistan but will talk with the authorities in Kabul, er to boost humanitarian aid. concerned about an influx of
with the militants to en- whatever they are. The Tal- refugees like the mass exodus The arrival in the EU of well
sure that European citi- iban have won the war, so we Borrell said there can be "no from Syria in 2015. Afghans over 1 million migrants in
zens and Afghans who will have to talk with them," payments of development as- are already among the biggest 2015, mostly from Syria and
have worked with the EU Borrell told reporters. "This sistance until we clarify the group seeking sanctuary in Iraq, sparked one of the bloc's
can leave safely, the bloc's dialogue will also have to fo- situation." He said the Tal- Europe, after Syrians. Some biggest crises as nations bick-
top diplomat said Tues- cus on the means to prevent iban must respect U.N. Se- EU estimates suggest about ered over how best to manage
day. the return of foreign terror- curity Council resolutions 570,000 Afghans have applied the influx.
ists." and human rights to earn ac- for asylum over the last six
Speaking after leading emer- cess to the funds. years. Asylum applications by Af-
gency talks among the EU's "It's not a matter of official ghan citizens have already
foreign ministers, EU foreign recognition, it's a matter of But he said "humanitar- "We have to ensure that the climbed by a third since Feb-
policy chief Josep Borrell also dealing with" the Taliban, ian help will continue, and new political situation cre- ruary as it became clear that
underlined the importance of Borrell said. maybe we will have an in- ated in Afghanistan by the re- the United States would pull
opening talks with the Tal- crease," given the number of turn of the Taliban does not its troops out of Afghanistan.
iban to help prevent a new The EU has decided to sus- displaced Afghans, the coun- lead to a large-scale migratory More than 4,648 applications
try's ongoing drought, and movement towards Europe," were lodged in May, accord-
the impact of the coronavirus Borrell said, adding that will ing to the EU's asylum office.
pandemic. involve talks with transit About half of the applications
countries. tend to be successful.
The EU has pledged about
1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion) German Foreign Minister Most Afghans are likely to
in development assistance for Heiko Maas said the world is flee to Iran, Pakistan or other
Afghanistan for 2021-2024. watching the Taliban and that northern neighbors like Uz-
"those who are now execut- bekistan and Tajikistan.
The EU ministers agreed ing power in Afghanistan will
that the first priority should be judged by their action." In the meantime, the U.N.'s
be to extract Europeans and He said the EU is concerned refugee agency is calling for
Afghans who have helped about "the stability of the re- a moratorium on the forced
them over the years. Spain gion. The neighboring coun- returns of Afghan citizens.
has agreed to welcome up to tries will certainly be con- The UNHCR also noted
400 Afghans and to distribute fronted with further refugee that "countries such as Iran
them among other EU coun- movements." and Pakistan have for decades
tries that are willing to pro- generously hosted the vast
vide visas. Austria, meanwhile, plans to majority" of Afghan refugees.