Taliban leader Mullah Omar called on Afghanistan’s neighbors to help his militants oust President Hamid Karzai’s government and force foreign troops out of the country.Omar’s message - the authenticity of which couldn’t be immediately confirmed - said “neighbors should help Afghans drive Western forces from Afghanistan as they had done during Soviet Union’s invasion. They should abandon any kind of support and understand that they (Western forces) are a danger to the whole region.” Omar’s statement was posted on a Web site that previously carried militant messages. It was unclear when it was posted, though it included greetings for the Muslim holiday of Eidul Fitr, which is expected to start Sunday.
Karzai has offered peace talks with the militants and even positions in the government. But the Taliban and warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar have rejected the overtures, saying international troops must first leave the country. In his Internet statement, Omar said KarzaiÂ’s offers were the result of the TalibanÂ’s resilience on the battlefield.
He said Western forces should end “satanic” policies, including airstrikes that kill civilians, and withdraw. But he also called on his fighters to be mindful of civilians during combat, suggesting the bloodshed is sapping support for the militants among ordinary Afghans.