British Prime Minister Boris Johnson invoked the recent US-led Western withdrawal and the Taliban‘s takeover of Afghanistan in a message to mark the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, attacks by al Qaeda against the United States. In a video message, Johnson said the recent events in Afghanistan only “strengthen our determination to remember those who were taken from us, cherish the survivors and those who still grieve, and hold fast to our belief in liberty and democracy, which will always prevail over every foe.”
The 9/11 attacks prompted a U.S-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 to topple the Taliban regime which had been providing sanctuary to al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden for years after seizing power in 1996. Over 450 British armed forces personnel were killed in Afghanistan during their 20-year long deployment in the country.
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The video message will be broadcast at an event in London’s Olympic Park, which houses a memorial sculpture from the remnants of the World Trade Center’s twin towers, reduced to rubble by two of the four planes hijacked by al Qaeda terrorists to carry out the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, including 67 British nationals.
Johnson said the attacks had failed to divide the believers of “freedom and democracy.”
”While the terrorists imposed their burden of grief and suffering, and while the threat persists today, we can now say with the perspective of 20 years that they failed to shake our belief in freedom and democracy,” Johnson said.
“They failed to drive our nations apart, or cause us to abandon our values, or to live in permanent fear.”
Earlier this week, Johnson addressed the parliament on the Afghanistan situation and slammed the criticism of Britain’s “hasty” withdrawal from country.
US President Joe Biden, who has also been under fire over the Afghanistan situation, urged Americans to show unity, “our greatest strength,” in a video message on the eve of the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
