Ankara: The Taliban, which occupied Afghanistan on August 15, sought technical help from Turkey to run the Kabul airport after foreign forces left.
However, the Taliban have insisted that Ankara’s army should also withdraw completely by the end of August deadline.
Reading: TOLONews Journalist Ziyar Yaad thrashed at gunpoint by Taliban, dismisses rumors of his ‘death’
A senior Turkish official told Reuters: “The Taliban have requested technical assistance to run Kabul airport.”
However, he said the Taliban’s demand to release all Turkish troops would complicate any possible mission.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the Turkish official further said, “Ensuring the safety of workers without Turkish armed forces is a risky task”.
However, it is not clear whether Turkey would agree to provide technical assistance if its troops were not there to provide security.
Turkey, which was part of the NATO mission in Afghanistan, still has hundreds of troops at Kabul airport.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s government, however, has said for months that it could maintain a presence at the airport if requested.
Another Turkish official told Reuters that a final decision would be made by the August 31 deadline to allow foreign forces to leave the country and end 20 years of military involvement in Afghanistan.
Keeping the airport open after the handover of control by foreign forces is important not only for Afghanistan to stay connected to the world but also for aid supplies and maintaining operations.
“This is going to be an important lifeline for humanitarian action in Afghanistan,” said Mary Ellen McGorty, the World Food Program director in Afghanistan, last week.
Earlier on Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group wanted good relations with Ankara.
“We want good relations with Turkey, the Turkish government and the Muslim people of the Turkish nation. As far as the Turkish forces stationed in Afghanistan are concerned, we do not need them in our country and once the evacuation is complete We will secure the airport ourselves.
.