KABUL: The US military is waiting to see whether some Taliban leaders take a break during August for Ramazan, crossing over the border into Pakistan after several weeks of high profile attacks.
"There's an awful lot of discussion about the Taliban leadership leaving their fighters here, and particularly to go back across the border for Ramazan," Admiral Mike Mullen, the top US military officer, referring to talks he had with US commanders in Kandahar and Helmand provinces.
"We'll see whether they do that or not," he told reporters travelling with him in Afghanistan. The Muslim fasting month of Ramazan will start on Monday in Afghanistan. It is a lunar month, but this year coincides almost exactly with the month of August on the Gregorian calendar used in most of the West.
The military assessment about Taliban movements follows a string of high-profile attacks and assassinations that have shaken southern Afghanistan.
The strikes have been particularly acute in Kandahar province, the Taliban's birthplace. A suicide bomber killed the mayor of Kandahar on Wednesday, compounding fears of a dangerous power vacuum in Afghanistan's south in the wake of the assassination of President Hamid Karzai's half-brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai.
Mullen acknowledged a degree of political instability because of the assassinations but added US commanders had not reported a deterioration in day-to-day security in Kandahar.
"At least from the commander's standpoint, they haven't seen that," said Mullen, who flew into Kandahar on Friday.
COMMENTS (10)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
I am sure he must have added LOL after he said that....
@Cautious: Taliban taking Ramzan break then its well obvious when someone speaks about mosques being blown-up that who is actually doing it .... Only those who has got no value of this religion, 'Americans' in simple words.
Isn't my explanation just as simple as yours ?
@gordon
One of the main reasons for flagging ISAF casualties is that the Taliban are looking towards a post-drawdown scenario and have shifted targets to the Afghan government and security forces. Works just fine for ISAF, I'm sure.
Funny cos I didnt know if Mi6 agent celebrated Ramazan.
Hahahaha.....Scared people :)
To be sure the Taliban can continue to fight during Ramadan but their troops will be fighting on "empty stomachs" and, therefore, ought to be easy pickings for the ISAF. As it is, the Taliban has been flagging in terms of the lethality of its attacks upon the ISAF. Fatality rates are down about 30 % in June and July, versus last year. Makes more sense for the insurgents to let their troops get right with Allah during August and then resume the military campaign in September.
If this truly was the case then the taliban wouldn't have blasted of the Marriott Hotel in ramzan and neither would they have done countless other attacks in the country on mosques and even so hypothetically they did stop then the Americans should also have the courtesy to stop the drone attacks in our country and just let us be at peace for this month.
if they know where they are going, why dont they go after them? fact is it is just a excuse to blame Pakistan for hosting taliban, Pakistan is itself fighting and being attacked by Taliban, Americans are being fed lies by India and afghanistan, and they are naively being sucked into it, I bet the Taliban are happy when Pakistan and US argue.
What's The 'Guarantee' Anyway? How dumb do you think we are ? You , Mr. Mullen !
About Taliban , i guess they might think about it later whether to take break or not . Perhaps, they had already decided "What to do next ? And When ? " High Alert ! Have a patience !! Nothing goes wrong this Ramazan in Pakistan .Be Happy !! Ramazan Mubarak Ho :))
Every Ramadan there are articles talking about wars being put on hold -- hasn't happened yet. After all the suicide bombings -- mosques being blown up etc - it's pretty apparent that there is nothing holy about this so called "holy war".