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‘You betrayed us’: Afghan nationals protest against Biden outside White House
Visuals shared by news agency ANI on Monday showed scores of Afghan nationals gathered outside the White House, shouting slogans such as “Biden you betrayed us”, “Biden you are responsible”. The protesters also decried the Taliban’s actions back home and said Afghanistan's citizens don’t deserve any of this.
As US President Joe Biden continues to face global questions about his approach to the conflict and over the worsening situation in Afghanistan as the Taliban took over Kabul, Afghan nationals in the US protested against Biden. Visuals shared by news agency ANI on Monday showed scores of Afghan nationals gathered outside the White House, shouting slogans such as “Biden you betrayed us”, “Biden you are responsible”. The protesters also decried the Taliban’s actions back home and said Afghanistan's citizens don’t deserve any of this. “Death to Taliban” was another slogan that echoed outside President Biden’s official residence.
"The women of Afghanistan will have no freedom. We do not want to go back to the burqa's that is not freedom," Farzana Hafiz, who lives in Northern Virginia, told ANI. "My family is there and I'm dying every minute. Since last night I haven't slept yet. I couldn't sleep. It's a tragedy for my people. I can't sleep," she said as she broke down.
Hafiza says her 21-year-old nephew was trying to come out of Afghanistan. "He was to get his visa and he would then come to us, but now we don't know what lies in his future," she told ANI.
Joe Biden, who ordered the pullout of US troops from Afghanistan, has not yet issued any official statement or post on his social media handles regarding the intensifying crisis in the war-torn country. He is on a vacation at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland. White House advisors pointed out that they were discussing ways of how the president should address the situation in Afghanistan.
Former US president Donald Trump, meanwhile, blamed his successor for the crisis in Afghanistan and demanded his resignation from the top post. Issuing a statement on Sunday, Trump said it was time for Joe Biden to step down “for what he has allowed to happen in Afghanistan, along with the tremendous surge in Covid-19, the Border catastrophe, the destruction of energy Independence, and our crippled economy.”
Taliban fighters declared on Monday that the war in Afghanistan is over after taking over Kabul and later the presidential palace as several countries are racing against time to evacuate their citizens. “Today is a great day for the Afghan people and the mujahideen. They have witnessed the fruits of their efforts and their sacrifices for 20 years,” Taliban spokesperson Mohammad Naeem told Al Jazeera. Calling for peaceful international relations, Naeem said the Taliban did not want to live in isolation, adding “We will not allow anyone to use our lands to target anyone, and we do not want to harm others.”
(With agency inputs)
