Mujahid Denies Taliban Ties to Al-Qaeda

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban, has rejected claims that the group has ties to Al-Qaeda.

Mujahid described a Middle East Institute report alleging that nearly 55 Taliban members and officials have direct or indirect links to Al-Qaeda as completely untrue and politically motivated propaganda. He said the claims are aimed at confusing the public, distorting facts and creating a negative atmosphere to justify Western intervention. Mujahid added that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly assured that no terrorist groups or external organizations are active in the country.

The report is part of the institute's Taliban Leadership Tracker project covering over 1,200 members. It highlights ethnic dominance in the leadership, notes that 80 percent have military backgrounds, and says only 5.7 percent of identified Taliban individuals are on international sanctions lists, though most cabinet members are sanctioned. The report also points to ongoing ideological commitments, with more than 20 percent of profiles noting connections to explosives, suicide attacks or armed groups. A Bush Center study states that 135 senior Taliban leaders and five entities are on the UN sanctions list per Resolution 1988.

Political expert Ma'ingel Samkani echoed Mujahid's rejection. He accused Western organizations of producing such biased reports to create a pretext for intervention despite the Islamic Emirate's assurances of no terrorist presence in Afghanistan.