Afghan prime minister defends Taliban’s rule amid crisis

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Afghanistan’s Taliban prime minister is defending the group’s rule amid a worsening economic crisis. In his first public address since the Taliban took over three months ago, Prime Minister Mohammed Hassan Akhund has told Afghans that the Taliban are not to blame for the economic collapse and growing humanitarian crisis. He says the Taliban are trying to repair the corruption and mismanagement of the ousted government. He also dismisses international demands for a more inclusive government, a step the U.S. and other countries have demanded before recognizing the new rule in Afghanistan.