The Chief of Army Staff of the Islamic Emirate says that Afghanistan's airspace is still under the control of the United States.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with TOLOnews, Fasihuddin Fetrat said that the country's airspace is still managed by the United States and that this country violates Afghanistan's airspace. 

According to Fasihuddin Fetrat, American drones occasionally fly over the Afghanistan's airspace.

"Drones occasionally patrol, and it [Afghanistan’s airspace] is still occupied by the Americans. It may enter Afghan territory from the soil of one of the neighboring countries," said Fasihuddin Fetrat, the Chief of Army Staff of the Ministry of Defense of the Islamic Emirate

Fetrat also rejects claims about the arrest of forces from the previous government, saying that no one has been arrested for this accusation so far.

"I definitely reject this, it has no basis, and no one who was in the previous regime has been arrested, imprisoned, or beaten so far, this is incorrect. If they commit a crime, they still do not have judicial immunity," added Fasihudin Fetrat.

According to Fetrat, the exact number of armed forces active within the Ministry of Interior, intelligence, and Ministry of Defense has reached 500,000, and the army has reached 172,000.

"We are in the initial stages, when the rule of the Islamic Emirate began, and we tried to build the Afghan army, the number that was considered was 200,000, and we are gradually progressing. We hope to complete the number we had in mind next year," stated the army chief of staff.

About the border clashes with Pakistan, the senior security official of the Islamic Emirate says that these clashes have occurred in response to the incursions of Pakistani border forces along the Durand Line.

"It is clear that we call this line an imaginary line, occasionally invasions and assaults occur that our forces cannot ignore, and no solution is found through discussions, and the other side [Pakistan] tries to use force, in which case we also allow our forces to use force," said Fetrat.

Fasihuddin Fetrat, in another part of his speech, rejects claims about the sale of American weapons in the country, saying that the Islamic Emirate urgently needs the leftover military equipment and does not allow anyone to sell it.