Tamim Asi: Opposing the Taliban Is Not Secessionism
Tamim Asi, former Deputy Minister of National Defense under the Republic, emphasized that the Taliban’s administration will not endure, but Afghanistan will remain a historical country with national sovereignty. He stated that political differences should not be used as a pretext to discuss secession or weakening the country.
Asi clarified that opposing the Taliban’s rule does not mean opposing Afghanistan’s land, geography, or national sovereignty. According to him, resisting the Taliban’s policies should not be confused with undermining the country’s territorial integrity, a matter of significant sensitivity in the current context.
Referring to Afghanistan’s past wars, he added that even in the fiercest conflicts, the leaders and factions involved—from the Mujahideen to other groups—never mentioned dividing the country. He noted that figures such as Burhanuddin Rabbani, Ahmad Shah Massoud, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, Abdul Rashid Dostum, and Abdul Ali Mazari never called for the division of Afghanistan despite intense fighting.
Asi also mentioned that some individuals, who, in his view, neither have a presence on the ground nor represent the people and land of Afghanistan, speak of division and partition under the influence of foreign intelligence circles. He warned that the people of Afghanistan will not forget such stances.
These remarks come as the political space in the country has shrunk following the Taliban’s takeover, with many political groups operating from abroad—a situation that has heightened debates about the future of the political system and how to preserve national unity.
