Taliban are terrorists, says Justin Trudeau

GBNEWS24DESK//

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday left the door open for sanctions on the Taliban, noting that the Islamist group now controlling Afghanistan remains a “terrorist entity”.

Trudeau told reporters, “Canada already believes and has long believed that the Taliban are terrorists and harbor terrorists. That’s why they’re on the terrorist list. So, yes, we’re talking about sanctions. can.”

On Tuesday, the leaders of the G-7 group of wealthy countries – Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US – will meet virtually on Afghanistan, reports AFP.

Trudeau said he was looking forward to “conversations” with his fellow G7 leaders soon, as we see what more we can do.

Britain, which currently has a rotating presidency of the G7, has said relief from current sanctions “will depend on the Taliban’s behaviour.”

The Islamic group came to power in mid-August, nearly 20 years after its first regime was toppled by the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

The United States and its allies are racing to evacuate thousands of people from the country ahead of US President Joe Biden’s August 31 deadline for the eventual withdrawal of all their forces.

But with the EU and Britain saying it would be impossible to exclude everyone by then, Biden is under pressure to extend the deadline.

Britain said on Monday it would urge the United States to expand it, while the Taliban warned that any delay would have “consequences”.

Trudeau did not disclose his position when the deadline was pushed back.

He said Canada’s focus was “on getting as many Afghans out as safely.”

Senior Canadian government officials said on Monday that the situation remained “shaky and chaotic” near the airport in Kabul, where thousands of frightened Afghans fleeing the Taliban regime have gathered for several days.

Canada resumed flights to Kabul on Thursday for the first time since the Taliban captured the Afghan capital.

Four flights have taken off from Kabul to Canada, the latest of which on Sunday carried 436 Canadian nationals and Afghan nationals.

Canadian officials said some 900 Afghans have arrived in Canada under a new special immigration program. Canada recently pledged to take in 20,000 Afghan refugees under the programme.