Taliban willing to send Afghan troops to India for training: Mullah Yaqoob

KABUL: Afghanistan’s all-powerful Defence Minister Mullah Yaqub, son of Taliban founder Mullah Omar, has expressed his willingness to send Afghan army personnel to India for military training, saying they “don’t have any issue with it”.

He made these comments in an exclusive interview with India’s News 18 TV channel when asked if Taliban would be willing to send their army officers to India for military training. “Yes, we don’t see any issue with it. Afghan-India relations get strengthened and will set the ground for this,” he remarked.

When asked if the current regime in Afghanistan wishes to have close defence ties with India, Mullah Yaqub said first they wanted to establish strong diplomatic relations with all countries, including India. When we will together have cordial political and diplomatic relations, only then we would be ready for defence relations. Neither there will be any problem with it nor do we see any issue with it,” he added. Speaking about the country’s ties with other countries, Mullah Yaqub said they want cordial relations with all countries of the world, especially the neighbouring countries, including India.