Ismail Haniyeh, head of the Political Bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), congratulated the Taliban movement on the end of the US occupation of Afghanistan.
This came during a phone call Haniyeh had with the head of the Taliban's political bureau, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, according to Hamas' official website, the day after the movement took control of the Afghan capital, Kabul.
Haniyeh said that the demise of the (American) occupation of Afghan soil is a prelude to the demise of all forces of oppression, foremost of which is the Israeli occupation of the land of Palestine.
Haniyeh, during his call with Mullah Baradar, wished Afghanistan unity, strength and prosperity, and praised the movement's political and media performance.
On the other hand, Barader expressed - according to the statement - his thanks and appreciation for Haniyeh's call, wishing Palestine and its oppressed people victory and empowerment, the fruit of their jihad and resistance. He also called on countries and peoples to support the Palestinian people.
The Islamic Jihad movement congratulated the Afghan people for what it described as the liberation of Afghan lands from the US occupation, and expressed - in a statement - its hope for security and peace for Afghanistan and its people.
And since last May, the Taliban began expanding its influence in Afghanistan, coinciding with the start of the last stage of the withdrawal of US forces, which is scheduled to be completed by August 31.
Within days, the movement took control of most of the Afghan lands up to the capital, Kabul, despite billions of dollars spent by the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), during about 20 years, to build the Afghan security forces.
In 2001, an international military coalition - led by Washington - overthrew the Taliban regime, for harboring al-Qaeda at the time, which had adopted attacks in the United States in September of that year.