“They (the Americans) would not be able to find a possible solution to the Afghan conflict until and unless they hold talks with the Taleban shoura,” said the Haqqani group commander, referring to the Taleban leadership council.

Last week, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in Islamabad with a heavyweight team of US military and intelligence leaders, urged Pakistan to persuade the Haqqanis to pursue peace.

She also warned that tough action would have to be taken against Afghan and Pakistani militants if they did not cooperate in efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.

The Haqqani commander, speaking on condition of anonymity, viewed her efforts with skepticism.

“This is not the first time the US has approached us for peace talks. The Americans had made several such attempts for talks which we rejected as we are an integral part of the Taleban led by Mullah Mohammad Omar,” he said.

“We are united and our goal is to liberate our homeland Afghanistan from the clutches of occupying forces.”

Clinton said the United States had held preliminary meetings with the Haqqani network — arguably the most dangerous Afghan insurgent faction — and was working with Afghanistan and Pakistan to try to put together a peace process.

Taleban leader Omar has been in hiding since the Taleban were forced from power by US-led forces after refusing to hand over Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.