Erdoğan calls on Taliban to end 'occupation' in Afghanistan

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday urged the Taliban to "end the occupation’’ of Afghanistan as he dismissed a warning from the jihadist group of serious consequences over its decision to take over the security of Kabul's airport.

"(The Taliban) need to end the occupation of their brothers' soil and show the world that peace is prevailing in Afghanistan right away," BBC Turkish cited the Turkish president as telling reporters ahead of a visit to northern Cyprus.

The pro-Sharia Taliban, which ruled Afghanistan between 1996 to 2001 and have fought for two decades years to topple Kabul’s the Western-backed government, have been sweeping through Afghanistan as the United States, and other forces pull out of the country by September.

Tukrey has offered to run and guard Kabul airport in the capital after the withdrawal of Western troops, and has been in talks with Washington on financial, political and logistical support for the deployment.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed last Tuesday called Turkey’s plans as “ill-advised, a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity and against our national interests,” and urged Turkey to reverse the decision while warning of consequences.

The Taliban's approach was not the way that Muslims should deal with each other, Erdoğan said on Monday.

"In the statement made by the Taliban there is no phrase 'We don't want Turkey'," Erdoğan further said when asked about the jihadist group’s remarks.