Taliban leader says foreign involvement will be in line with Shariah

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Reuters

Peshawar/Kabul — The Taliban will deal with the international community in line with Shariah law, the supreme leader of the hardline Islamist group said, according to a transcript of his speech shared by the information ministry on Friday.

The group is suffering from a severe economic crisis due to strict enforcement of international sanctions and cutting off development aid before it was formally recognized as a government by foreign capital.

Many governments, including Washington, are pressuring the Taliban to ease restrictions on women and open schools for high school girls.

About 3,000 tribal leaders, officials and religious scholars gathered on Thursday in the southern city of Kandahar, home to the group's top spiritual leader, Hai Batura Akunzada, according to state news. . Agency Bakhtar. It was the second such gathering since the group came to power about a year ago. I was called to think about the freedoms we have received," he said in his speech.

"We will deal with the international community in accordance with Islamic Shariah...if Shariah does not allow it, we will not do business with other countries," Akunzada said.

Talks with US diplomats continue, particularly how to revive the country's stalled banking sector and the potential release of frozen central bank assets held abroad. are discussing about But officials warn that many hurdles to progress remain.

Amid escalating tensions, the United States last month carried out a drone strike in central Kabul to kill al-Qaeda leader Ayman Zawahiri, prompting the Taliban to break the two countries' agreement. accused of violating By hiding Zawahiri.

According to the Bakhtar news agency, Thursday's rally included several resolutions condemning the drone strikes and accusing neighboring countries of allowing their airspace to be used for attacks were in collusion. resolution was announced.

Generally, US air access to landlocked Afghanistan requires permission from neighboring countries.

Authorities have not disclosed the route of the drone. Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan, said its airspace was not used in the attack.

(Reporting by Jibran Ahmad of Peshawar and Mohammad Yunus Yawar of Kabul; Written by Charlotte Greenfield; Edited by Kim Coghill)