Latest news with #MohammadHassanAkhund
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
A top Taliban official offers amnesty to Afghans who fled the country and urges them to return
A top Taliban official said on Saturday (JUne 7, 2025) that all Afghans who fled the country after the collapse of the former Western-backed government are free to return home, promising they would not be harmed if they come back. Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund made the amnesty offer in his message for the Islamic holiday of Id-ul-Azha, also known as the 'Feast of Sacrifice.' The offer comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a sweeping travel ban on 12 countries, including Afghanistan. The measure largely bars Afghans hoping to resettle in the United States permanently as well as those hoping to go to the U.S. temporarily, such as for university study. Mr. Trump also suspended a core refugee program in January, all but ending support for Afghans who had allied with the U.S. and leaving tens of thousands of them stranded. Afghans in neighbouring Pakistan who are awaiting resettlement are also dealing with a deportation drive by the Islamabad government to get them out of the country. Almost a million have left Pakistan since October 2023 to avoid arrest and expulsion. Akhund's holiday message was posted on the social platform X. 'Afghans who have left the country should return to their homeland,' he said. 'Nobody will harm them." "Come back to your ancestral land and live in an atmosphere of peace,' he added, and instructed officials to properly manage services for returning refugees and to ensure they were given shelter and support. He also used the occasion to criticize the media for making what he said were 'false judgements' about Afghanistan's Taliban rulers and their policies. 'We must not allow the torch of the Islamic system to be extinguished,' he said. 'The media should avoid false judgments and should not minimize the accomplishments of the system. While challenges exist, we must remain vigilant.' The Taliban swept into the capital Kabul and seized most of Afghanistan in a blitz in mid-August 2021 as the U.S. and NATO forces were in the last weeks of their pullout from the country after 20 years of war. The offensive prompted a mass exodus, with tens of thousands of Afghans thronging the airport in chaotic scenes, hoping for a flight out on the U.S. military airlift. People also fled across the border, to neighboring Iran and Pakistan. Among those escaping the new Taliban rulers were also former government officials, journalists, activists, those who had helped the U.S. during its campaign against the Taliban.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Taliban urges Afghans to ‘come home' after Trump travel ban
The Taliban has urged Afghans hoping to emigrate to the US to return home after Donald Trump banned its citizens from entering the country. This week, the US president signed a sweeping travel ban targeting citizens from 12 countries, including Afghanistan, to stop 'foreign terrorists'. Responding to the ban on Saturday, Mohammad Hassan Akhund, the Afghan prime minister, urged citizens to return to their country, saying they would be protected even if they worked with US-led forces in the two-decade fight against the Taliban insurgency. 'For those who are worried that America has closed its doors to Afghans... I want to tell them, 'return to your country, even if you have served the Americans for 20 or 30 years for their ends, and ruined the Islamic system',' he said in a speech broadcast by state media. 'Come back to your ancestral land and live in an atmosphere of peace,' he added. The Taliban returned to power in 2021 after the withdrawal of US and UK troops. It led to a chaotic evacuation effort and forced millions to flee amid fears of reprisal for working with Washington.
CTV News
a day ago
- Politics
- CTV News
A top Taliban official offers amnesty to Afghans who fled the country and urges them to return
A Taliban fighter stands guard near the Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque as people attend the Eid al-Adha prayer in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, June 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi) A top Taliban official said on Saturday that all Afghans who fled the country after the collapse of the former Western-backed government are free to return home, promising they would not be harmed if they come back. Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund made the amnesty offer in his message for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, also known as the 'Feast of Sacrifice.' The offer comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a sweeping travel ban on 12 countries, including Afghanistan. The measure largely bars Afghans hoping to resettle in the United States permanently as well as those hoping to go to the U.S. temporarily, such as for university study. Trump also suspended a core refugee program in January, all but ending support for Afghans who had allied with the U.S. and leaving tens of thousands of them stranded. Afghans in neighboring Pakistan who are awaiting resettlement are also dealing with a deportation drive by the Islamabad government to get them out of the country. Almost a million have left Pakistan since October 2023 to avoid arrest and expulsion. Akhund's holiday message was posted on the social platform X. 'Afghans who have left the country should return to their homeland,' he said. 'Nobody will harm them.' 'Come back to your ancestral land and live in an atmosphere of peace,' he added, and instructed officials to properly manage services for returning refugees and to ensure they were given shelter and support. He also used the occasion to criticize the media for making what he said were 'false judgements' about Afghanistan's Taliban rulers and their policies. 'We must not allow the torch of the Islamic system to be extinguished,' he said. 'The media should avoid false judgments and should not minimize the accomplishments of the system. While challenges exist, we must remain vigilant.' The Taliban swept into the capital Kabul and seized most of Afghanistan in a blitz in mid-August 2021 as the U.S. and NATO forces were in the last weeks of their pullout from the country after 20 years of war. The offensive prompted a mass exodus, with tens of thousands of Afghans thronging the airport in chaotic scenes, hoping for a flight out on the U.S. military airlift. People also fled across the border, to neighboring Iran and Pakistan. Among those escaping the new Taliban rulers were also former government officials, journalists, activists, those who had helped the U.S. during its campaign against the Taliban. The Associated Press
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First Post
a day ago
- Politics
- First Post
Afghans who fled post-takeover ‘free to return,' says Taliban PM in Eid al-Adha message
Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund announced the amnesty offer in a message for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, also known as the 'Feast of Sacrifice' read more Taliban fighters speak with a boy during the Eid al-Adha prayers the Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan. AP On Saturday, a top Taliban official declared that any Afghans who fled the country following the collapse of the old Western-backed government are free to return, and that they will not be harmed if they do. Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund announced the amnesty offer in a message for the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, also known as the 'Feast of Sacrifice.' The offer comes only days after US President Donald Trump issued a broad travel ban targeting 12 nations, including Afghanistan. The proposal essentially excludes Afghans wishing to relocate in the United States permanently as well as those hoping to visit the country temporarily, such as for university studies. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump also suspended a core refugee program in January, all but ending support for Afghans who had allied with the U.S. and leaving tens of thousands of them stranded. Afghans in neighbouring Pakistan who are awaiting resettlement are also dealing with a deportation drive by the Islamabad government to get them out of the country. Almost a million have left Pakistan since October 2023 to avoid arrest and expulsion. Akhund's holiday message was posted on the social platform X. 'Afghans who have left the country should return to their homeland,' he said. 'Nobody will harm them." 'Come back to your ancestral land and live in an atmosphere of peace,' he added, and instructed officials to properly manage services for returning refugees and to ensure they were given shelter and support. He also used the occasion to criticize the media for making what he said were 'false judgements' about Afghanistan's Taliban rulers and their policies. 'We must not allow the torch of the Islamic system to be extinguished,' he said. 'The media should avoid false judgments and should not minimize the accomplishments of the system. While challenges exist, we must remain vigilant.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Taliban swept into the capital Kabul and seized most of Afghanistan in a blitz in mid-August 2021 as the U.S. and NATO forces were in the last weeks of their pullout from the country after 20 years of war. The offensive prompted a mass exodus, with tens of thousands of Afghans thronging the airport in chaotic scenes, hoping for a flight out on the U.S. military airlift. People also fled across the border, to neighbouring Iran and Pakistan. Among those escaping the new Taliban rulers were also former government officials, journalists, activists, those who had helped the U.S. during its campaign against the Taliban.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Taliban offers amnesty, urges Afghans in exile to return home safely
A top Taliban official said on Saturday that all Afghans who fled the country after the collapse of the former Western-backed government are free to return home, promising they would not be harmed if they come back. Taliban Prime Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund made the amnesty offer in his message for the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of Sacrifice. The offer comes days after US President Donald Trump announced a sweeping travel ban on 12 countries, including Afghanistan. The measure largely bars Afghans hoping to resettle in the United States permanently as well as those hoping to go to the US temporarily, such as for university study. Trump also suspended a core refugee programme in January, all but ending support for Afghans who had allied with the US and leaving tens of thousands of them stranded. Afghans in neighbouring Pakistan who are awaiting resettlement are also dealing with a deportation drive. Almost a million have left Pakistan since October 2023 to avoid arrest and expulsion. Akhund's holiday message was posted on the social platform X. Afghans who have left the country should return to their homeland, he said. Nobody will harm them." "Come back to your ancestral land and live in an atmosphere of peace, he added, and instructed officials to properly manage services for returning refugees and to ensure they were given shelter and support. He also used the occasion to criticise the media for making what he said were false judgements about Afghanistan's Taliban rulers and their policies. We must not allow the torch of the Islamic system to be extinguished, he said. The media should avoid false judgments and should not minimise the accomplishments of the system. While challenges exist, we must remain vigilant. The Taliban swept into the capital Kabul and seized most of Afghanistan in a blitz in mid-August 2021 as the US and NATO forces were in the last weeks of their pullout from the country after 20 years of war. The offensive prompted a mass exodus, with tens of thousands of Afghans thronging the airport in chaotic scenes, hoping for a flight out on the US military airlift. People also fled across the border, to neighbouring Iran and Pakistan. Among those escaping the new Taliban rulers were also former government officials, journalists, activists, those who had helped the US during its campaign against the Taliban.
