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Taliban rejects claim of having ‘endorsed’ Trump’s campaign

Afghan Voice Agency(AVA) , 11 Oct 2020 - 10:45

Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid early Sunday denied having endorsed US President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign and said his words had been misinterpreted.



Mujahid’s denial came after CBS News ran a story late Saturday night stating that Mujahid told CBS News in a phone interview, “We hope he will win the election and wind up US military presence in Afghanistan.” 
CBS News also reported that the militant group expressed some concern about Trump’s health after he was hospitalized with Coronavirus. 
“When we heard about Trump being COVID-19 positive, we got worried for his health, but seems he is getting better,” another Taliban senior leader told CBS News.
Mujahid meanwhile took to Twitter early Sunday and said: “US news outlet CBS News has interpreted and published my remarks incorrectly. Nothing of the sort has been communicated as publicized by them.”

CBS News also quoted a Taliban member as having said: “Trump might be ridiculous for the rest of the world, but he is sane and wise man for the Taliban.”
Another senior member of the Taliban praised the president, according to CBS News, and said:  “Honestly, Trump was much more honest with us than we thought, even we were stunned with his offer to meet Taliban in Camp David.”
Last year, Trump disclosed that he had invited the Taliban for peace talks at Camp David – but canceled the plans after the Taliban killed a US soldier.
Axios meanwhile reported that Trump campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh said in an emailed statement, “We reject their support and the Taliban should know that the President will always protect American interests by any means necessary, unlike Joe Biden who opposed taking out Osama bin Laden and Qasem Soleimani.”
 


Story Code: 220487

News Link :
https://www.avapress.net/en/news/220487/taliban-rejects-claim-of-having-endorsed-trump-s-campaign

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