Former Afghan Official Claims Al-Qaeda Leads the Taliban

Kokcha News Agency: Ajmal Obaid Abedi, former Deputy of National Security in Ashraf Ghani’s administration, has claimed that Al-Qaeda is leading and guiding the Taliban.

In an interview with Afghanistan International, Abedi stated that the Taliban and its allies have created significant security challenges for the region.

He dismissed the Taliban’s claim that Al-Qaeda is not a threat to the West or the U.S., arguing that Al-Qaeda not only leads the Taliban but also poses both an immediate and potential threat to global security.

Abedi revealed that all countries’ relations with the Taliban regime are purely intelligence-based. He also noted that before the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, ISIS-Khorasan’s activities were limited to certain areas of Afghanistan, but since then, the group has gained the capability to carry out cross-border attacks, including in countries like Iran and Russia.

Additionally, Abedi alleged that certain factions within the Taliban collaborated with ISIS in the assassination of Khalil Haqqani.