Afghan Taliban condemn anti-Islam cartoons, hail Paris gunmen

Published January 15, 2015
The image shows Afghan Taliban fighters. — AFP/file
The image shows Afghan Taliban fighters. — AFP/file

KABUL: The Afghan Taliban on Thursday condemned the publication in France of further anti-Islam cartoons and lauded last week's deadly Islamist attack on the Charlie Hebdo magazine office in Paris.

A statement from the group said they “strongly condemn this repugnant and inhumane action and consider its perpetrators, those who allowed it and its supporters the enemies of humanity”.

Read: 12 dead in shooting at Paris offices of satirical magazine

The statement released in English also hailed gunmen who killed the magazine staff on January 7 and said world leaders should prevent such cartoons from being released.

They said publication must be stopped to prevent “further harming world peace”, adding that to do otherwise would mean “the beliefs and sacrosanctity of over a billion people is desecrated and the world is pushed further into the fire of hatred and war”.

Hooded gunmen had stormed the Paris offices of a weekly satirical magazine, killing at least 12 people, including two police officers in the worst militant attack on French soil in recent decades.

While the attack on Charlie Hebdo sparked global outrage, dozens of people in Peshawar and central Afghan province of Uruzgan paid tribute to the brothers who carried out the murders.

The attack was claimed by the Al Qaeda in Yemen.

Charlie Hebdo had announced that it will defiantly feature more caricatures targeting Islam.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.