US drones violating Afghanistan's airspace: Official
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A spokesperson for the Taliban has confirmed that the aircraft "undoubtedly belongs to US."
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Taliban Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid speaks during the movement's first official news conference at a media center in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2021. (Sputnik)
The Taliban leadership stated that unmanned aerial vehicles belonging to the United States have been observed violating airspace over two of Afghanistan's southern provinces.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban Spokesperson, informed Afghanistan's TOLOnews agency of the accusations on Saturday, naming the regions in issue as Kandahar and Nimroz.
He explained that "these aircraft undoubtedly belong to the US, flying and crossing from the airspace of some neighboring countries into Afghanistan," adding that "everyone should understand their responsibilities in this matter and stop the aggression."
He further stated that Kabul has made itself clear by protesting the issue and that Washington should take the matter more seriously.
Sarwar Niazi, a military expert, was quoted by TOLOnews as saying that since Afghanistan lacks air defense forces and radars, "any country that wishes" could violate its airspace.
Mujahid also chastised some of the country's neighbors for allowing the US to utilize their airspace to violate Afghanistan's.
The US invaded and occupied Afghanistan around 20 years ago under the guise of eliminating terror; an era ended with a hectic withdrawal with repercussions still resonating to this very day.
Biden administration failures drove fall of Kabul: Former US generals
The top two US generals responsible for overseeing the evacuation of Afghanistan as it fell to the Taliban in August 2021 attributed the chaotic departure to the Biden administration, informing lawmakers that it inadequately prepared for the evacuation and failed to issue timely orders for it.
The rare testimony from the two retired generals publicly revealed, for the first time, the tensions and disagreements the military leaders faced with the Biden administration during the last days of the war. Two crucial differences highlighted included the military's recommendation to maintain at least 2,500 service members in Afghanistan to uphold stability and concerns about the State Department's delayed efforts to initiate an evacuation.
The remarks were in contrast to an internal White House review of the administration's decisions, which concluded that Joe Biden's choices had been "severely constrained" by previous withdrawal agreements negotiated by former US President Donald Trump. The review blamed the military, stating that top commanders had asserted they had adequate resources to manage the evacuation.
It's important to mention that thirteen US service members were killed in a suicide bombing targeting the occupation forces at the Abbey Gate of Kabul airport in the closing days of the war, during the Taliban's seizure of Afghanistan.
