Afghanistan's ruling Taliban pledge peace and women's rights as they strike conciliatory tone
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The Taliban said on Tuesday they wanted peaceful relations with other countries and would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law, as they held their first official news briefing since their lightning seizure of Kabul. Emerson T. Brooking, Resident Senior Fellow at the Digital Forensic Research Lab of the Atlantic Council, joins France 24 to offer his analysis of the rapidly unfolding situation in Afghanistan. While the Taliban might be suggesting a softer line than during their rule 20 years ago, Mr. Brooking is offering a stark warning that the Taliban are not to be trusted. "Now we are in a moment where it's in the Taliban's interests to project the friendliest face to the world." With regards to the recent statements made by the Taliban that "they will respect the rights of women, that they will not launch violent recrimination," Mr. Brooking is advising not to "trust what they say, (but to) wait to see what happens in the next months or years."