Erdogan: Turkey Planning Talks With the Taliban Over Kabul Airport

Turkey plans to leave troops in Afghanistan to control the airport, but the Taliban is against a continued Turkish presence

by Dave DeCamp Posted onJuly 19, 2021CategoriesNewsTagsAfghanistan, Turkey

On Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey is planning to hold talks with the Taliban over plans for Turkish troops to stay in Afghanistan to control the Kabul airport.

“God willing, we will see what kind of talks we will have with the Taliban and see where these talks take us,” Erdogan said. The Turkish president also called on the Taliban to end its “occupation” of Afghanistan.

The US and Turkey have agreed that Turkish troops who are currently guarding the Kabul airport will stay to secure it. But the Taliban views this plan as a violation of the US-Taliban peace deal, which called for all foreign troops to leave Afghanistan.

The Taliban has issued multiple warnings against a continued Turkish presence at the airport. Last week, the Taliban issued a statement about the plan. “We consider the stay of foreign forces in our homeland by any country under whatever pretext as occupation,” the statement said.

The US wants Turkey to control the airport so the foreign embassies in Kabul can remain open. President Biden said the Afghanistan withdrawal would be completed by August 31st, but the US plans to leave about 600 troops behind at the embassy and to help Turkey guard the airport.

https://news.antiwar.com/2021/07/19/erdogan-turkey-planning-talks-with-the-taliban-over-kabul-airport/