Afghanistan / Taliban may hold oath-taking ceremony on 9/11 anniversary: Reports

Kabul: Taliban may hold the oath-taking ceremony on September 11, on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the United States, reports have claimed, adding that invitations have already been rolled out to China, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Qatar, India and the US. This comes at a time when the countries are reiterating that they are in no hurry to recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

After postponing it twice, the Taliban announced its interim Cabinet on Tuesday, under the leadership of Taliban's supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. The composition of the government, mostly prominent Taliban and Haqqani leaders, has raised international concern as the United States also said it is watching the new government closely. Several Cabinet members are on the sanction list of the United States and the Taliban on Thursday took objection to this stance and urged for the removal of these names from theUS sanction list.

"The family of honourable Haqqani Sahib is part of Islamic Emirate and does not have a separate name or organisational setup. Similarly, in Doha Agreement all officials of the Islamic Emirate without any exception were part of interaction with the US and should have been removed from the UN and US blacklists, a demand which still remains valid," the Taliban said.

Mullah Mohammad Hasan Akhund, the caretaker Prime Minister, invited all former officials to return to the country and the Taliban will guarantee their security and safety, he said. “We have suffered huge losses in money and lives for this historical moment in the history of Afghanistan. The stage of bloodshed, killing and contempt for people in Afghanistan has ended, and we have paid dearly for this," Akhund said.

Ceremony on September 11?

A ceremony is being planned in Kabul though the date has not been finalised. It is also not confirmed whether the Taliban want 9/11 to be the date to embarrass the United States. After capturing Afghanistan, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid had said that there was no proof that Osama bin Laden was involved in the September 11 attack. “When Osama bin Laden became an issue for the Americans, he was in Afghanistan. Although there was no proof he was involved," he had said to NBC News.