Western governments owe Afghans, says Saleh
The recognition of the Taliban by Western governments would 鈥渋ntensify the civil war鈥� in Afghanistan, the former First Vice-President Amrullah Saleh has told the 91热爆.
鈥淚t will lead to massacre and it will lead to an unprecedented level of violence that the country has not seen,鈥� Mr Saleh told the Hardtalk programme鈥檚 Stephen Sackur from an undisclosed location.
Western governments 鈥渙we鈥� Afghans and have to help them create a 鈥渓egitimate state鈥�, he said.
Now a senior figure in the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front (NRF), Mr Saleh said they were ready to stop armed resistance, providing a mechanism is put in place to ensure a referendum or an election is held.
鈥淚f the Taliban win, for sure we will accept that legitimacy, but we will not surrender to a group which has come into power through a conspiracy.鈥�
The Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
