KABUL: The Taliban on Monday warned Turkey against keeping its troops in Afghanistan to run and guard the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, adding that any country that opted to retain soldiers in the war-torn country after the US and NATO withdrawal would be treated as an “occupier.”
Turkey has more than 500 troops in Afghanistan as part of a non-combat NATO mission, with some soldiers training Afghan security forces and others serving at the international airport in the capital.
As NATO’s only Muslim member, Turkey’s non-combat troops have rarely been attacked by the Taliban or other insurgent groups in Afghanistan, with Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban, telling Arab News on Monday the group wanted “normal ties” with Ankara.
However, he rejected Ankara’s proposal that its troops stay behind to oversee Kabul airport’s operations.
“Turkey has been in Afghanistan for the past 20 years with NATO, and if it wants to remain now, without any doubt, we regard it as an occupier and will act against it,” Mujahid said. “We have lots of commonalities with Turkey…and they are Muslim, but if they intervene and keep its troops, then it will bear the responsibility.”
On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara had reached a conditional deal with Washington to take over security of Kabul airport after the withdrawal. But Ankara says it cannot carry out the mission without support and would need additional troops for it.
Since the drawdown of coalition forces began on May 1, the Taliban have made rapid territorial gains against Afghan government forces in several regions, including areas near Kabul.
The Taliban’s advances have stoked fears about security in Kabul and its airport, which has come under rocket strikes by both Taliban and Daesh affiliates in the past, despite the presence of coalition forces at the facility.
The airport’s security is crucial for military and civilian flights and the safe passage of international aid groups and diplomats residing in Afghanistan.
An Afghan defense ministry spokesman said Kabul airport had been fitted with an air defense system to counter incoming rockets over the weekend.
“This system installed at Kabul airport, [which] has been tested in other parts of the world, will be highly effective in foiling rocket attacks on Kabul airport as well,” Fawad Aman said.
Taliban say will consider Turkey an ‘occupier’ if it retains troops at Kabul airport
https://arab.news/5ep6q
Taliban say will consider Turkey an ‘occupier’ if it retains troops at Kabul airport
- Spokesman says Turkey to “bear responsibility” if it decides to intervene and keep its troops to guard airport
- Ankara says has reached conditional deal with Washington to take over security of Kabul airport
Government says Pakistan’s IT exports hit record monthly high in December
- Finance adviser says IT exports crossed $400 million for first time in a month
- Pakistan aims to double exports to $60 billion in four years, with IT a key driver
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s information technology exports climbed to a record $437 million in December, crossing the $400 million mark for the first time on a monthly basis, the government’s finance adviser Khurram Schehzad said in a social media post on Monday.
The surge underscores the growing role of the tech sector as Pakistan seeks to boost exports while emerging from a prolonged economic crisis that drained foreign exchange reserves, widened balance-of-payments pressures and weakened the currency.
The government is now aiming for export-led growth as part of broader structural reforms under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program.
“December 2025 exports reached $437 million — crossing $400 million in a month for the first time ever,” Schehzad said in a post on X, adding that this represented 23 percent month-on-month growth from November and 26 percent year-on-year growth compared with December 2024.
For the first half of the current fiscal year, IT exports reached $2.24 billion, up 20 percent from a year earlier, making the sector the largest and most consistent contributor within services exports, he said.
Pakistan has been under pressure to sharply lift exports as it works to stabilize its economy.
Earlier this month, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the country must double its exports to $60 billion within four years or risk returning to the IMF.
Pakistan’s IT exports have been on a steady upward trajectory in recent years. They reached a record $3.8 billion in the 2024–25 financial year, according to official data.
The momentum has carried into the current fiscal year, with IT exports posting 19 percent year-on-year growth during the first five months from July to November.
Exports during the period stood at $1.8 billion, according to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan.
The government has said it sees the technology sector as a key driver of foreign exchange earnings and job creation as Pakistan seeks to lock in recent macroeconomic gains and attract new investment.
