After the capital of the U.S.-backed Afghan government in Kabul fell under Taliban control over the weekend and U.S. troops evacuated the U.S. embassy in the city, the terrorist group Hamas credited the Taliban with a victory over the U.S.
In a Monday statement reported by the Jerusalem Post, Hamas said, “We congratulate the Muslim Afghan people for the defeat of the American occupation on all Afghan lands, and we congratulate the Taliban movement and its brave leadership on this victory, which culminated its long struggle over the past 20 years.”
“While Hamas wishes the Afghan Muslim people and its leadership success in achieving unity, stability and prosperity for Afghanistan and its people, it stresses that the demise of the American occupation and its allies proves that the resistance of the peoples, foremost of which is our struggling Palestinian people, will achieve victory,” the Hamas statement added.
On Monday, Hamas also shared photos of a meeting between its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, and a Taliban delegation. The meeting reportedly took place at the Taliban office in Doha, Qatar. Haniyeh has been based out of Qatar for the past two years.
“Head of the political office of the emirate #Afghanistan Islamic #Taliban. The Deputy Commander of the Faithful for Political Affairs (Mullah Abdul Ghani Barader) and the accompanying delegation meet the head of the Political Bureau of #Hamas (Ismail Haniyeh) and his accompanying delegation in the Qatari capital.”
On Sunday, Taliban fighters entered Kabul and took over the Afghan presidential palace after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country earlier in the day. As the Taliban seized control of the capital, U.S. troops flew the last helicopter flights from the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and set up a security perimeter around Hamid Karzai International Airport, only miles away. U.S. troops took over air traffic control at the Kabul airport and have been organizing evacuation flights from Afghanistan.
On Monday morning, Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar said, “We have reached a victory that wasn’t expected…we should show humility in front of Allah…now it’s time of test — now it’s about how we serve and secure our people, and ensure their future/good life to best of ability”
Hamas is a designated foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department and is the de facto governing force in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has fought against what it sees as an illegitimate Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.
Hamas’ congratulatory remarks are not the first time the group has shared common cause with the Taliban. According to a Palestinian journalist who spoke with the Jerusalem Post, the Taliban congratulated Hamas on a victory after an 11-day campaign of sustained rocket attacks on Israel.
