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Washington: US President Joe Biden on Monday warned the Taliban of swift and forceful response from the US if they attack American personnel or disrupt their operations in Afghanistan.

He said if the Taliban interfered with the US military’s evacuation operations in Afghanistan, the US would respond with devastating force.

“As we carry out this departure, we have made it clear to the Taliban, if they attack our personnel or disrupt our operation, the US presence will be swift, and the response will be swift and forceful,” Biden said in his address to the nation.

“We will defend our people with devastating force if necessary. Our current military mission was short in time, limited in scope, and focused on its objectives: get our people and our allies as safely and as quickly as possible,” he said.

He vowed to complete the planned withdrawal of US military troops in Afghanistan.

“And once we have completed this mission, we will conclude our military withdrawal. We’ll end America’s longest war after 20 long years of bloodshed. The events we’re seeing now are, sadly, proof that no amount of military force would ever deliver a stable, united, secure Afghanistan. As known in history, it’s the graveyard of empires,” he said.

Biden said what’s happening now could just as easily happen five years ago or 15 years in the future.

“You have to be honest. Our mission in Afghanistan is taking many missteps, made many missteps over the past two decades. I’m now the fourth American president to preside over the war in Afghanistan, two Democrats and two Republicans, he said.

“I will not pass this responsibly down to a fifth president. I will not mislead the American people by claiming that just a little more time in Afghanistan will make all the difference, nor will I shrink from my share of responsibility for what we are today and how we must move forward from here,” he said.

The US president said he is saddened by the current situation in Afghanistan, but does not regret his decision to withdraw American troops.

“I am president of the United States of America, and the buck stops with me. I’m deeply saddened by the facts we now face, but I do not regret my decision to end America’s warfighting in Afghanistan and maintain a laser focus on our counterterrorism mission there and other parts of the world. Our mission to degrade the terrorist threat of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and kill Osama bin Laden was a success,” he said.

Biden said he will not ask his troops to fight on endlessly in another country’s civil war, taking casualties, suffering life-shattering injuries, leaving families broken by grief and loss.

“This is not in our national security interest. It is not what the American people want. It is not what our troops, who have sacrificed so much over the past two decades deserve. I made a commitment to the American people when I ran for president that I would bring America’s military involvement in Afghanistan to an end,” he said.

Beijing: China on Monday expressed hope that the Taliban will stand by its commitment of establishing an open and inclusive Islamic government in Afghanistan and will ensure a peaceful transition of power without violence and terrorism.

Commenting for the first time on the sudden and rapid takeover of the Afghanistan government by the Taliban insurgents, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying in a media briefing here expressed hope that the Taliban will abide by its commitment to ensure a peaceful transition of power, taking full responsibility for the safety of Afghan citizens and foreign diplomatic missions.

Taliban insurgents swept Kabul on Sunday after the US-backed Afghan government collapsed and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, bringing an unprecedented end to a two-decade campaign in which the US and its allies had tried to transform the war-ravaged nation.

While most of the embassies in Kabul including that of the US, India and EU countries rushed to evacuate its diplomatic staff, Hua said the Chinese Embassy is up and running with its ambassador and some staff.

However, most of the Chinese nationals have already been evacuated from Afghanistan, she said.

“The situation in Afghanistan has experienced major changes. We respect Afghanistan’s people’s will and choice,” Hua said.

“The war in Afghanistan has lasted over 40 years. To stop the war and realise peace is the wish of the 30 million Afghan people and the aspiration of the international community and regional countries,” she said.

“We noticed the statement from Afghan Taliban yesterday (Sunday) saying that the war is over and they will start consultation on establishment of an open and inclusive Islamic government and take the responsibility of safety of Afghan citizens and foreign diplomatic corps,” the spokesperson said.

“We hope this will be implemented to ensure a peaceful transition, stop violence and terrorism, and make sure people are free from war and build their new home,” Hua said.

Replying to a question on when will China recognise the Taliban government and whether any condition is attached to it, Hua said on the basis of fully respecting Afghanistan’s national sovereignty and the will of all parties, Beijing has been maintaining contact and communication with Afghan Taliban and playing a constructive role in promoting a political settlement.

Recalling last month’s China visit of the Taliban delegation led by its Political Commission Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and his talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Hua said, We hope the Afghan Taliban will be united with other parties and with all nations and build a political framework in keeping with national conditions that is broadly inclusive and will lay the foundation for enduring peace.

She also emphasised Taliban’s assurance to Wang that it will not permit anti-China forces, that is, the Uygur Islamic militants of East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which is fighting for the separation of China’s volatile Xinjiang province.

According to a recent UN report, hundreds of militants of ETIM, which is affiliated to Al Qaeda terror outfit, are converging in Afghanistan amid the military advances made by the Taliban in the country.

Xinjiang shares borders with Afghanistan, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), besides Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

Referring to Taliban’s assurances, Hua said the Afghan Taliban has repeatedly said that they wanted to develop a good relationship with China and hope that Beijing will take part in the reconstruction and development of the nation.

She said the Afghan Taliban has assured that it “will never allow any forces to use the country (Afghanistan) to harm China.

We welcome that and we have always respected the county’s sovereignty and independence and integrity. We do not interfere in internal affairs and our friendship is for all the people of Afghanistan. We respect people’s independence (and) choice and we continue to develop friendly relations and play a constructive role in peace and reconstruction, Hua said.

PTI