KANDAHAR, 7 November 2005 — Taleban leader Mulla Mohammad Omar has called on people to unite and join the Taleban in their holy war against US-led forces in the country.
Omar, in a statement faxed to news organizations in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, said the Taleban would intensify their war against foreign forces.
“The people of Afghanistan and the Taleban should unite against US and allied forces and intensify their jihad against the foreign occupiers,” he said in the statement.
The statement was issued on Friday, apparently to mark the End. Taleban officials, contacted and questioned about its veracity over the weekend, said it was genuine.
Omar’s whereabouts has been a mystery since US-led forces ousted the Taleban in late 2001. Omar said in his statement “infidel forces” were trying to capture Muslim countries and make Muslims their slaves. They had committed atrocities against Muslims in Afghanistan, he said. He also said Afghans had rejected a presidential election last year and parliamentary elections in September.
“The people of Afghanistan rejected the parliamentary and presidential elections but they are showing those elections as a success,” Omar said. “The Taleban are not weak in Afghanistan. We will speed up our jihad,” he said.
