Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, one of the most significant branches of the extremist group worldwide, praised the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, vowing to continue "fighting and jihad." In a statement released on Wednesday, the organization, which was founded in 2009 and is considered by the United States as the most dangerous branch of al-Qaeda, said, "We congratulate our brothers in the Islamic Emirate and all the mujahideen across the globe."
It stated that "victory... shows us that jihad and fighting are the real means to restore rights," and that "the game of democracy and mere peaceful action is a mirage." The Taliban managed to enter the capital, Kabul, and take control of Afghanistan on Sunday after two decades of being overthrown, amid a collapse of government forces and the withdrawal of U.S. troops.
According to local sources, al-Qaeda members in Yemen celebrated in the Al-Bayda province, which is engulfed in war, following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan on Sunday, launching fireworks and live ammunition into the air as soon as the Taliban entered the presidential palace.
It is noteworthy that the organization has exploited the ongoing war in Yemen, since 2014 between Houthi rebels and the government, to bolster its influence in several regions. However, its attacks have significantly decreased in recent times due to intensified U.S. airstrikes and ground operations.
This organization has claimed attacks in the United States and Europe, particularly the assault against the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris in 2015 that left 12 dead, along with a shooting incident that resulted in three fatalities in 2019 at a U.S. military base in Florida.
