Taliban Declare They Will Soon Launch Counter-offensive In Afghanistan

The Taliban have declared they will soon launch a counter-offensive on the entire territory of Afghanistan. A Taliban Foreign Ministry official, Mullah Najibullah Sherzai told journalists in the village of Spinbuldak situated 10 kilometres from the Pakistani border, that soon they will start winning back the provinces and towns they have surrendered. Sherzai claimed the Taliban had left the bulk of the country's territory only "to prevent human losses among innocent Afghanis." Mullah Sherzai stressed that the Taliban spiritual leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, had not ordered anybody to negotiate with the commanders of local Pashtoon voluntary coprs ("militia") the surrender of Kandahar to their control. Kandahar as well as the northern province of Kunduz, Sherzai said, remain under total control of the Taliban. However, Sherzai stressed, if Mullah Omar orders the Taliban to leave Kunduz, they will unconditionally obey.