ANKARA

The Taliban administration said Thursday that it wants an "independent" Afghanistan as it seeks cooperation from the international community to rebuild the war-torn country. 

“We hope that the UN, the richest countries in the world and various other organizations will cooperate with the Afghan people and not use their aid and assistance as a tool of political pressure,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, the acting deputy information minister and a key spokesman for the Taliban’s interim government.

Calling for “sincere” cooperation in “overcoming the existing problems so that the problems that have arisen as a result of the last 20 years of occupation are resolved,” Mujahid said “Afghans must be left to decide for themselves the future for their country.”

His statement came on the 20th anniversary of what the Taliban call the “military invasion of our beloved country, Afghanistan” by the US.

“The Islamic Emirate [of Afghanistan] apparently withdrew its forces from the cities for a short period of time, for preventing civilian casualties and the destruction of cities,” said Mujahid.

US-led foreign forces completely withdrew from Afghanistan on Aug. 30, ending America’s longest war, under a deal signed with the Taliban on Feb. 29, 2020 in the Qatari capital Doha, which Mujahid called “a good move.”

The Taliban regained control of Kabul on Aug. 15 after the previous Western-backed administration collapsed and its officials fled the war-torn country.

The Taliban previously ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001 when US-led foreign forces invaded the country in search of Al-Qaeda and other militant groups.

“The US invasion over the past 20 years has resulted in nothing but casualties and countless financial losses to the American people, and the invasion resulted in thousands of Afghans being martyred, disabled and left homeless,” said Mujahid, adding the exit of foreign forces from Afghanistan was “a clear message to others” who “should never think about” invading the country.