Government, opposition differ on whether Turkey should keep troops in Afghanistan
Turkey has kept non-combatant troops in Afghanistan for nearly two decades. (Photo: AA/File)
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As the sudden fall of Afghanistan's capital yesterday (August 16) put Turkey's plan to keep running the Kabul airport in limbo, an ally of the government said that Ankara shouldn't even think about withdrawing its troops from the country.
"Turkey's presence in Afghanistan is legitimate, friendly and peaceful," Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli said in a written statement yesterday. "It is unthinkable that our military elements will leave Afghanistan."
Turning away from Afghanistan would be against historical and geographical realities, Bahçeli said, criticizing the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) for demanding the withdrawal of troops.
As part of NATO missions, Turkey has had non-combatant troops in Afghanistan for nearly two decades and has been running the Kabul airport for six years.
Ankara and Washington have been discussing a plan for Turkey to keep running and protecting the airport following the withdrawal of the US-led troops.
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The Taliban has said that it will treat any foreign troops in the country as invaders and warned Turkey that it would face consequences if it fulfilled the plan.
The fate of the plan is currently uncertain, according to reports by Reuters and DW Turkish citing anonymous officials from Ankara.
Relations with the Taliban
Bahçeli said Turkey should also keep its diplomatic missions open and seek cooperation with the new administration in Afghanistan to prevent irregular migration from the country.
"Every option, including talking to the Taliban, should be taken into account. As an environment of conflict would not do any good for Afghanistan, the Taliban should follow an inclusive policy, encouraging all Afghans to live in their country," said the MHP leader. For more than a month, hundreds of Afghan refugees who fled the Taliban have been crossing into Turkey every day.
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President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan previously said Turkey is willing to cooperate with the Taliban.
Meanwhile, Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar had a video conference meeting yesterday with senior military officials, including the commander of Turkey's troops in Afghanistan.
Turkey's priority is the security of its personnel in Kabul and it has taken all measures in accordance with that, Akar said.
The opposition's objection
The CHP has opposed the government's plans to run the Kabul airport, which it said would mean to make Turkey's army "the subcontractor of the US."
CHP Spokesperson Faik Öztrak said on Sunday that the government shouldn't "make our soldiers confront the Taliban" and "stab our nation behind the back."
Previously, CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu said, "We won't sacrifice our soldiers in places where others run away without looking back."
The CHP also claimed that the new migration wave from Afghanistan started as part of a secret agreement between Turkey and the US.
The US State Department previously suggested that Afghans who had cooperated with Washington may seek refuge in Turkey. (DŞ/VK)