MOSCOW — The Taliban movement has threatened to revive its
insurgency against the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan.
A Taliban spokesman said the insurgency would be renewed in the spring
of 2005. He said the movement has been preparing for a new offensive, Central Asia Newsline reported.
"As soon as the weather changes, the snow melts, and the cold season is
over, our attacks will be intensified," Taliban spokesman Latifullah Hakimi
said. "We believe that our campaign is quite a success, and intend to
achieve better results. The resistance to the pro-American authorities is
mounting."
In March, Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing of the first
Western aid worker in Kabul. Taliban has not staged a major attack in
Afghanistan since October 2004.
On March 14, Afghan authorities said security forces captured three
Taliban insurgents in a battle in the southeast. Officials said Afghan Army
soldiers eliminated the Taliban presence from the Arghandab district of the
Zabul Province.
Hakimi told the RIA-Novosti news agency that Mullah Mohammad Omar still
heads Taliban. He said neither Taliban fighters nor their allies were
involved in
negotiations by the Afghan government for a peace accord.
"We did not initiate any talks with the pro-American government of
Afghanistan and did not delegate anyone to negotiate on our behalf," Hakimi
said. "The people who are allegedly in talks with the pro-American
government in reality represent themselves only."
