Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban-appointed deputy prime minister for economic affairs, center, inspects the honor guards during a military parade to mark the third anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops from Afghanistan, in Bagram Air Base in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan, on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai)
"The Taliban, at the end of the day, are a terrorist group," he said. "They target anyone who disagrees with them – anyone who worked with the U.S. government or allied forces. Their lives are in grave danger."
Sangi added that women face especially grim conditions in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, where they are banned from education and public life without a male escort.
"They view women as subservient. They treat them worse than cattle," he said. "There is no freedom for ordinary Afghans. It’s a prison. People are essentially under house arrest, and they can’t escape."
Despite his frustration, Sangi said he has not withdrawn his support for Trump – but he is pleading with him to rethink the decision. "We do have hope that any kind of mistake that is made specifically in regards to Afghanistan will be corrected."
He praised Trump for refusing to recognize the Taliban and ending foreign aid to Afghanistan that fell into their hands, and he urged him not to strike any deals.
"The Taliban mock America, reject your demands for the return of our $7 billion in military equipment, and harbor terrorists who threaten our homeland," said Sangi. "Engaging with them isn’t America First."
Western forces work to evacuate people as Kabul falls to the Taliban in 2021. (MoD Crown Copyright via Getty Images)
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Former Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mike McCaul argued against the assertion that the security situation had improved, and urged the administration against moving to revoke the immigration status of Afghans here on SIVs or P1 and P2 visas.
The Taliban, he said, "have made their thirst for retribution against those who help the United States clear. Until they demonstrate substantial behavorial changes, I urge the administration to continue prioritizing the safety of the Afghan men and women who risked their lives to help our troops."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and DHS with requests for comment.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/afghans-trump-group-feels-abandoned-after-administration-revokes-refugee-protections