ajpirzada
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No moderates in Taliban ranks: Haqqani
Friday, April 17, 2009
Claims support within Karzai govt; Asks Pakistani Taliban to focus attention on Afghanistan
By Mushtaq Yusufzai
PAKTIKA, Afghanistan: Rejecting the presence of moderates in their ranks and files, a top Afghan Taliban commander disclosed they had been frequently receiving support from sincere and patriotic people in the Hamid Karzai-led Afghan government.
Sirajuddin Haqqani said: Weve no moderate to hold talks with the Americans. In an interview with this correspondent at one of his hideouts in Afghanistans Paktika province, the top Taliban commander denied recent reports of Saudi Arabia-sponsored peace negotiations between them and the US.
He said the people who had now laid down their arms, stopped Jihad against infidels and living a luxurious life, had no right to call them Taliban. Taliban are living in the mountains, spending sleepless nights and eating dried bread, but struggling to liberate their homeland from occupation forces, he said.
There was no question of talks with the US-led coalition forces at the moment when the Taliban had an upper hand in the battlefield and were about to liberate their motherland from the occupying forces, Haqqani noted.
He termed media reports of the Talibans talks with the US part of propaganda by the anti-Taliban elements.We cannot go outside Afghanistan to participate in any talks, as we face difficulties in our movement. In case of any talks, we send fifth or sixth-rank leadership to negotiate, he said.
Sirajuddin Haqqani carries the head money of $5 million from the US. Asked about the reward money, he said: I was staying with some people the night it was announced by the Americans. I couldnt sleep that night and got up early in the morning and switched on the radio. That was the time I heard the news.
Why are they wasting their time announcing a reward for me now. The Americans still dont understand that even if they kill me, there would be 1,000 more Sirajuddins in Afghanistan to liberate our homeland from the occupying foreign forces.
The US intelligence officials believe that the Haqqani network has helped al-Qaeda in establishing safe havens in the tribal areas. He, however, denied the charge and said the Americans were fast losing the war in Afghanistan. I must tell you that almost all the leaders of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban) take pride and satisfaction whenever they (US) announce reward, money or something else on them.
It further strengthened my belief in Jihad. I feel happiness and draw satisfaction and think that at least our efforts have been successful. He said he travelled freely around Afghanistan, because most pf the people did not recognise him.
Haqqani said: The people of Afghanistan are with us, said the soft-spoken commander. The Afghan intelligence officials are sympathetic to the Taliban and they communicate the movements of the occupying forces (US and Nato) to us.
We have acquired the modern technology that we were lacking and we have mastered new and innovative methods of making bombs and explosives, he explained. He said the Taliban were thankful to al-Qaeda and all other Mujahideen who had come from all over the world to fight alongside the Taliban to liberate their country.
About his role in the Pakistani militant groups, he said like Mulla Omar, he had always been pleading with his Pakistani brothers to focus attention on Afghanistan instead of their fighting against their own security forces.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Claims support within Karzai govt; Asks Pakistani Taliban to focus attention on Afghanistan
By Mushtaq Yusufzai
PAKTIKA, Afghanistan: Rejecting the presence of moderates in their ranks and files, a top Afghan Taliban commander disclosed they had been frequently receiving support from sincere and patriotic people in the Hamid Karzai-led Afghan government.
Sirajuddin Haqqani said: Weve no moderate to hold talks with the Americans. In an interview with this correspondent at one of his hideouts in Afghanistans Paktika province, the top Taliban commander denied recent reports of Saudi Arabia-sponsored peace negotiations between them and the US.
He said the people who had now laid down their arms, stopped Jihad against infidels and living a luxurious life, had no right to call them Taliban. Taliban are living in the mountains, spending sleepless nights and eating dried bread, but struggling to liberate their homeland from occupation forces, he said.
There was no question of talks with the US-led coalition forces at the moment when the Taliban had an upper hand in the battlefield and were about to liberate their motherland from the occupying forces, Haqqani noted.
He termed media reports of the Talibans talks with the US part of propaganda by the anti-Taliban elements.We cannot go outside Afghanistan to participate in any talks, as we face difficulties in our movement. In case of any talks, we send fifth or sixth-rank leadership to negotiate, he said.
Sirajuddin Haqqani carries the head money of $5 million from the US. Asked about the reward money, he said: I was staying with some people the night it was announced by the Americans. I couldnt sleep that night and got up early in the morning and switched on the radio. That was the time I heard the news.
Why are they wasting their time announcing a reward for me now. The Americans still dont understand that even if they kill me, there would be 1,000 more Sirajuddins in Afghanistan to liberate our homeland from the occupying foreign forces.
The US intelligence officials believe that the Haqqani network has helped al-Qaeda in establishing safe havens in the tribal areas. He, however, denied the charge and said the Americans were fast losing the war in Afghanistan. I must tell you that almost all the leaders of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban) take pride and satisfaction whenever they (US) announce reward, money or something else on them.
It further strengthened my belief in Jihad. I feel happiness and draw satisfaction and think that at least our efforts have been successful. He said he travelled freely around Afghanistan, because most pf the people did not recognise him.
Haqqani said: The people of Afghanistan are with us, said the soft-spoken commander. The Afghan intelligence officials are sympathetic to the Taliban and they communicate the movements of the occupying forces (US and Nato) to us.
We have acquired the modern technology that we were lacking and we have mastered new and innovative methods of making bombs and explosives, he explained. He said the Taliban were thankful to al-Qaeda and all other Mujahideen who had come from all over the world to fight alongside the Taliban to liberate their country.
About his role in the Pakistani militant groups, he said like Mulla Omar, he had always been pleading with his Pakistani brothers to focus attention on Afghanistan instead of their fighting against their own security forces.
