Taliban have become more cruel and have no wish for peace: Ghani

President Ashraf Ghani said Sunday, during a virtual cabinet meeting, that in the past 20 years, the Taliban has not changed for the better but have instead become crueler and more “non-Muslim”.

Addressing the virtual cabinet meeting, as part of Digital Week, Ghani also said changes will be brought in the country over the next six months as certain issues need to be reprioritized.

This comes amid widespread attacks by the Taliban across the country where swathes of territory have been seized by the insurgent group.

Ghani stated that Afghanistan has come under attack in many parts of the country and that while the Taliban has not changed for the better in the past 20 years, they have become more “heinous, crueler and been out of Islam.”

“Yes, they (Taliban) have changed but negatively. They have no wish for peace, for prosperity, or progress; we want peace but they want surrender [subdued people and government],” Ghani noted.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Qasim Halimi, Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs stated that the Taliban’s war has no religious basis and that they are fighting for power.

“The Taliban are not ready to negotiate and they are fighting to gain power and use religion as a cover,” Halimi said.