Afghanistan’s Taliban has expressed optimism for improved relations with the United States following the victory of President-elect Donald Trump. The Taliban's foreign ministry spokesperson, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, conveyed the group's hope for a new chapter of relations based on mutual engagement and pragmatism.
Balkhi highlighted the significance of the Doha Agreement signed in 2020 during Trump's first administration, which he credited with ending what he termed as the twenty-year occupation of American forces in Afghanistan. The Taliban spokesperson urged Trump to play a constructive role in resolving conflicts in the Middle East.
The Taliban's swift takeover of power in Afghanistan in August 2021 triggered a chaotic withdrawal of Western forces and marked the conclusion of the United States' extended mission in the country. In September 2021, the Taliban announced the establishment of a hardline interim government, with several individuals who had been detained at Guantánamo Bay by the US and later released in a prisoner swap in 2014 assuming key positions.
