Washington: The Taliban’s chief negotiator has claimed that the US is on the verge of defeat and will quit Afghanistan soon “either of their own accord or they will be forced out”, the media reported.
The remarks were made by Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai in a speech to an “internal gathering” in Doha, just two days before he led his team of insurgent negotiators into fresh talks with US interlocutors, the Voice of America news outlet reported on Tuesday.
Pro-Taliban social media outlets last Friday released a video of Stanekzai’s speech, one day after US special envoy on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and his team wrapped up week-long negotiations with Taliban representatives.
“God has helped us defeat three super powers in the last century. The third super power that we are currently confronted with is also on the verge of defeat, inshallah. You will soon hear they also will withdraw (from Afghanistan) either of their own accord or they will be forced out,” he said. (IANS)
