Amrullah Saleh: Freeing the People from Taliban Rule Is as Important as Afghanistan’s Independence

Amrullah Saleh, the former First Vice President of Afghanistan, said on August 19, coinciding with the 107th anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence, that freeing the people from the current situation and what he described as the “yoke of an internal foreigner” is as important as the country’s independence from a foreign power.

In a post on the social media platform X, Saleh wrote: “Freedom from the current situation and breaking the yoke of the internal foreigner is as important for our people as independence from a foreign power.”

He also welcomed a message from former Afghan President Hamid Karzai marking Independence Day and praised Karzai’s emphasis on lasting peace, national unity, and providing educational opportunities for both girls and boys.

Saleh described the Taliban as an “internal foreigner” and claimed that the group has destroyed Afghanistan’s material and cultural assets and called the very “idea of Afghanistan” into question.

These remarks were made on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, on the occasion of Afghanistan’s Independence Day. Afghanistan International and a separate report by Memar News Agency also reported these remarks.

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