-
Despite Taliban's warnings, Turkey wants to prolong stay in Afghanistan

The We For News reported that despite the Taliban’s ultimatum, unfazed Turkey is going to take over the security of the Kabul International airport after the withdrawal of the US troops.
Ankara has been running the military and logistic operations of the Kabul airport for six years as part of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission.
The Taliban has warned Turkey against those plans to keep some troops in Afghanistan to run the airport, warning of severe consequences if its troops remain in Afghanistan when other foreign forces pull out.
But Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , playing down the warning, told the Taliban that they should “end the occupation of their brothers’ soil and show the world that peace is prevailing in Afghanistan right away.”
Erdogan asked the Taliban to “enter” into an agreement with Turkey, like it did with the US in 2019.
“There are some issues that the Taliban are uncomfortable with. By negotiating this process with the Taliban, just as the Taliban made some of the talks with the United States, the Taliban should hold these talks with Turkey much more comfortably,” reports the Hurriyet Daily News, a Turkey daily quoting Erdogan.
He said that whether, at the level of the foreign ministry or at his level, Turkey is trying to see what kind of talks it can hold with the Taliban and where these talks can take them.
Does Turkey throw itself on fire by coming face to face with the Taliban or could Turkey as a playmaker assist the consolidation of political stability in Afghanistan thanks to its imperial legacy?
Erdogan is “confident” that being the NATO’s only predominantly Muslim member and Ankara’s historical ties with Afghanistan, can help reaching on to peace settlement between warring the Taliban and the Afghan government.
But experts feel that Erdogan is “over estimating” his “influence” over the insurgent group. Turkey is looking to its close allies, Pakistan and Qatar which have close relations with the Taliban, to overcome opposition from the group.
But in the last few months the Taliban has been “ignoring” Turkey and has reached out to Iran, Russia and China for support.
While the US and its allies have been withdrawing their troops, Turkey has been still maintaining more than 500 soldiers in Afghanistan.
Erdogan said that the US wanted Kabul Airport to be operated by Turkey as it had been doing so for several years and now the dialogue between the Nato allies continued to cement the details of the future Turkish mission. Kabul Airport is the main exit route for Western diplomats and aid workers.
“Now there is a new era,” Erdogan said, adding, “three main authorities are seen here: NATO, the US and Turkey.”
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!