Taliban: Afghanistan now ‘a free and sovereign’ nation

Taliban hails departure of US troops as a ‘historic moment’, declaring the country has now gained ‘full independence’.

The Taliban hailed on Tuesday the departure of US troops after almost 20 years of occupation, describing their departure as a “historic moment” while declaring that the country is now a “free and sovereign nation”. Speaking to reporters from Hamid Karzai International Airport, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the victory of his group “belongs to us all”. “We do not have any doubt that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a free and sovereign nation,” he said, adding the the Americans “could not achieve their goal through military operations”.