Claiming they were only freedom fighters who had been victims of a “poisonous propaganda,” the Taliban has said all Buddhist sites in Afghanistan will be safe under the group’s rule.

The images of the Taliban destroying the world’s tallest Buddha statue in Afghanistan’s Bamiyan valley in March 2001 – during its previous stint in power - are still fresh in public memory.

Sri Lanka, where Buddhism is the official language and the majority of the people are Buddhists, had then condemned the destruction of the ancient sandstone carvings as did many other countries including India, where Buddhism was born.

With the Taliban now in effective control of the country, there are now fears the return of the Taliban to power will pose a threat to Buddhist sites.

“Buddhist sites in Afghanistan are not at risk, I refute any claim in this regard,” Taliban spokesman and international negotiator Suhail Shaheen, told Daily Mirror.

Speaking from Doha, Shaheen said that they were negotiating with the Afghanistan government for a peaceful transfer of power.

The hardline Islamist militia Taliban, which has taken over Afghanistan in a lightning surge in just over a week following the withdrawal of US troops, denied it ever had any links with the Sri Lankan Tamil terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE).

The spokesman said the Taliban is an independent liberation force. “We don’t have any links to the Tamil Tigers. We are an independent liberation force which struggled against the foreign occupation for the last 20 years for the liberation of our country, Afghanistan.”

He said Sri Lanka should not consider the Taliban as terrorists.

“We are freedom fighters of Afghanistan like your ancestors who struggled for the liberation of your country. But we are victims of poisonous propaganda,” Shaheen asserted.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry said it was working with international partners to facilitate the return of Sri Lankan nationals in Afghanistan if they wish to return.

Stating the current situation in Afghanistan and the ongoing efforts to evacuate Sri Lankan nationals there, the Foreign Ministry said the Sri Lanka Embassy in Kabul, which is functioning from a hotel, currently does not have any Sri Lankan nationals at present and is manned by one local staff.

The Embassy has details of 43 Sri Lankan nationals in Afghanistan while the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) has certain details as well.

The Sri Lankan nationals present in Afghanistan mostly work for the United Nations, international organizations, NATO military bases and private companies.

“The Foreign Ministry remains appraised of the situation and will make every effort to ensure the safe return of Sri Lankan nationals if they wish to return,” the statement said.

(SAM)