Kabul, Nov 26: The Taliban’s reclusive leader has ruled out talks with President Hamid Karzai and called on Afghans to break off relations with his “stooge” administration.
In a statement, Mullah Omar also insisted foreign troops were losing the war in Afghanistan.
His message, issued ahead of the Muslim Eid holiday, came a week after Karzai reached out to the Taliban during his inauguration speech, saying it was important to include in the government former Taliban who were ready to renounce terrorism.
The hardline militia has long refused to negotiate with the Karzai government or join what it considers a puppet administration.
“Ground realities in our beloved country indicate that the invaders are about to escape,” Omar said in the message posted on a Web site used by the Taliban and e-mailed to journalists from an address often used to send out his statements. Omar led the Taliban regime that was toppled by the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, and has not been seen since.
Afghan officials claim he is in hiding in Pakistan.
–Agencies