West risks civil war unless it engages with Taliban, Pakistan warns
Afghanistan could descend into another civil war if the West fails to “engage” with the Taliban, Pakistan’s foreign minister has told Sky News.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi warned of potential “anarchy” and a resurgent threat of terrorism as he criticised the West’s exit strategy, saying there was a failure to listen to Pakistan‘s concerns about ending the war in Afghanistan and as a result the withdrawal was not “responsible or orderly”.
But he also said the initial statements from the extreme Islamist group have been “positive” and “encouraging”, and he hoped the Taliban would work towards creating an “inclusive government” in the multi-ethnic state.
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Taliban forces at the airport in Kabul after the West’s withdrawal from the city
He said: “One option is engagement as opposed to isolation, you know we’ve withdrawn, let’s wash our hands, we’ve done our bit, we leave.
“That’s a dangerous option. That’s an option of abandonment of Afghan people.
“That’s the mistake that was committed in the 90s. I would urge the international community not to repeat the same mistake again.”
But there are huge questions about whether the Taliban can be trusted. The minister said the West should “test” the ultra-conservative hardliners to make sure they were true to their word.
He added that it was in the group’s interest to act responsibly and hoped they had changed.
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Taliban celebrates as last US troops leave Kabul
“They should have learned from their mistakes,” he said. “And I think the attitude and the approach they are taking is reflective of a different approach.”
“What I’m saying is test them before trusting them. They’re big statements but let’s see if they live up to them and if they do, then build on it because the other option is far worse.
“If they’re sensible, they should in my view respect international opinion and international norms. Why? They need assistance, they will be in charge, if they will be in charge they will need humanitarian assistance, they will need financial assistance, otherwise you will see an economic collapse.”
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Will Taliban in power lead to terrorism?
But many Afghans are frightened about how their new rulers will behave.
The country has bitter memories and is fearful of a repeat of what happened when the extremists last ran the country between 1996 and 2001.
As the last American flight left Kabul, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the victory was a “lesson for other invaders”, but emphasised the group wanted “good diplomatic relations” with the US and the rest of the world.
After 20 years of bitter war and then a humiliating defeat, the West is now in a dilemma about what to do next.
But the policy choices are few and none are very desirable: cooperating with a sworn enemy against a potential bigger threat such as ISIS-K, or isolating the Taliban as international pariahs for their brutality and treatment of women.
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‘We succeeded in what we set out to do’
The foreign minister warns the “consequences of abandonment” are dangerous.
“It could lead to a civil war,” he said.
“Things could become chaotic, there could be anarchy, and that will give space to the organisations we all dread: the international terrorist organisation that we do not want their footprint to grow in Afghanistan.”
Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the initial statements from the Taliban had been encouraging
There is another major issue, a massive, worsening humanitarian crisis looming in the war-ravaged country.
The World Food Programme says one in three Afghans are already going hungry as the nation faces its worst drought in 30 years.
Added to that, Afghanistan is facing bankruptcy as it is heavily reliant on foreign aid, but giving money to a Taliban government would not only be an endorsement, it would also help bankroll their regime.
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Pakistan’s government is clear on this issue, though – there is no room for the “abandonment” and the world needs to come together for the Afghan people.
The stakes are extremely high for Islamabad. Neighbouring Afghanistan, it says, already hosts nearly four million refugees and can’t afford another major crisis on its borders.
Russia’s UK ambassador has told Sky News that Ukraine’s recent attacks risk escalating the conflict to “World War III” as he partly blamed the UK.
Andrei Kelin warned that Ukraine’s actions “are bringing the conflict to a different level of escalation”, in an interview with Sky News’ Yalda Hakim, and said Kyiv should “not try to engulf World War III”.
“That’s the very worst case scenario that we can imagine,” he said.
More than a hundred Ukrainian drones were deployed inside Russia over the weekend, destroying more than 40 warplanes in an attack Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “will undoubtedly be in history books”.
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Mr Kelin pointed the finger at the UK when he said Ukraine must have had assistance in the attacks.
“[This] kind of attack involves, of course, provision of very high technology, so-called geospaced data, which only can be done by those who have it in possession. And this is London and Washington,” he said.
“I don’t believe that America [is involved], that has been denied by President Trump, definitely, but it has not been denied by London.
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“We perfectly know how much London is involved, how deeply British forces are involved in working together with Ukraine.”
On Wednesday, Donald Trump said Vladimir Putin told him “very strongly” that Russia “will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields”.
The US president said that he discussed the attack with Mr Putin during a phone call that lasted more than an hour.
“It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace,” he wrote.
Mr Kelin repeated this sentiment, telling Sky News: “It is up to the Ministry of Defence to make a right solution, but we have to respond to it.”
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “We never comment on operational matters at home or abroad.”
World
Bodies of husband and wife taken into Gaza by Hamas recovered after special operation by Israeli forces
The bodies of a couple taken into Gaza by Hamas during the 7 October attacks have been recovered by Israeli forces, Benjamin Netanyahu has announced.
The Israeli prime minister said the bodies of husband and wife Gad Haggai, 72, and Judi Weinstein Haggai, 70, were recovered during a special operation by the Israeli military and the country’s security agency, Shin Bet.
Mr Netanyahu said they were killed on 7 October, 2023, and their bodies were taken into Gaza by Hamas.
In a statement, he said: “Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the dear families.
“Our hearts ache for the most terrible loss. May their memory be blessed.
“We will not rest or be silent until we return all of our abductees home – the living and the dead alike.”
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The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum has been campaigning for the safe return of all Israeli citizens held hostage by Hamas.
The hostage families said in a statement: “The return of Judi and Gad is painful and heartbreaking, yet it also brings healing to our uncertainty.
“Their return reminds us all that it is the state’s duty to bring everyone home, so that we, the families, together with all the people of Israel, can begin the process of healing and recovery.
“Decision-makers must do everything necessary to reach an agreement that will return all 56 remaining hostages – the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for burial. There is no need to wait another 608 agonising days for this.
“The mission can be completed as early as tomorrow morning. This is what the majority of the Israeli people want.”
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March 2025: Thousands call for longer ceasefire deal for hostages
Most of the hostages returned alive to Israel so far have been released as part of deals with Hamas during two temporary ceasefires in late 2023 and early 2025.
The most recent ceasefire that saw a pause in the fighting and the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners fell apart in March.
Israel has rejected calls for an unconditional or permanent ceasefire, saying Hamas cannot stay in Gaza.
On Wednesday, the US vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution that demanded an “immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza and unhindered aid access across the war-ravaged territory.
The other 14 countries on the council voted in favour of the draft.
“The United States has been clear: We would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza,” said Dorothy Shea, acting US ambassador to the UN, ahead of the vote.
She told the council it would also undermine ongoing US-led efforts to broker a ceasefire.
Read more from Sky News:
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Hamas took 251 hostages and killed more than 1,200 people in its attacks on Israel in October 2023.
Israel has responded with an air and ground assault on Gaza – and has recently escalated its bombing campaign.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since the start of the war. Its figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters.
Israel says its two war aims are to destroy Hamas and release the hostages.
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