Taliban to unveil new Afghan govt framework within weeks, official says

Taliban fighters march in uniforms on the street in Qalat, Zabul Province, Afghanistan, in this still image taken from social media video uploaded August 19, 2021 and obtained by REUTERS

The Taliban aim to unveil a new governing framework for Afghanistan in the next few weeks, a spokesman for the Islamist movement said on Saturday, after the insurgents' swift takeover of the South Asian nation.

"Legal, religious and foreign policy experts in the Taliban aim to present the new governing framework in the next few weeks," the official told Reuters.

The Taliban have sought to present a more moderate face since last week's lightning takeover, but ruled with an iron fist from 1996 to 2001 before being toppled by U.S.-led forces for sheltering al Qaeda militants behind the Sept. 11 attacks.

(Reporting by Rupam Nair; Writing by Clarence Fernandez; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)