ABU DHABI ø Three years after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, Taliban is staying alive by raising funds in Persian Gulf states deemed U.S. allies.

Islamic sources said Taliban representatives that over the last year have succeeded in raising money in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. They said the money has been used to fuel the low-intensity war against the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan.

The Kuwaiti daily Al Rai Al Aam reported that Taliban leader Mullah Omar toured three Gulf Cooperation Council states over the last two weeks to raise money for his movement. The newspaper quoted sources close to Omar as saying that one of the GCC states was Kuwait and that Taliban raised funds during the current Islamic fast month of Ramadan.

"The envoy moved into the country with the help of his friends who had made all the arrangements for his visit," the newspaper, regarded as close to the Kuwait Defense Ministry, said.

It was the first report that Taliban continued to receive funding from U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf. Over the last year, U.S. officials have reported increasing cooperation from GCC states in halting the flow of money to Al Qaida and Taliban.

But Kuwaiti officials have acknowledged that Islamic charities continued to violate the new law against terrorist financing.

Social Affairs Assistant Undersecretary Adnan Al Omar said authorities have received 3,000 complaints against charities regarding suspected violations of the terrorist financing law.