In an 1,800-word Eidul Azha message, Omar calls on the militants to ensure safety of civilians and said civilian casualties were “painful” for the nation.
The Mujahideen have to take every step to protect the lives and wealth of ordinary people in accordance with their religious responsibility.
A United Nations (UN) report released in September revealed that violent incidents in the Afghan war had increased by nearly 40% over the last year. Two thirds of the activity was focused on the southern and southeastern regions, particularly the Taliban birthplace of Kandahar and its surrounding areas.
Omar also says that all civilian casualties believed to be caused by the Taliban should be reported to superiors so that action can be taken against the accused after an “extensive investigation”.
The statement also asks civilians to “avoid moving in close proximity” to US forces patrolling villages and the countryside to avoid being hit during an insurgent attack.
The figures in the UN report showed that total security incidents averaging 2,108 a month in the first eight months of 2011, up 39% on the same period in 2010.
From June to August, the UN’s mission in Afghanistan documented 971 civilian deaths, with three quarters attributed to insurgent violence and 12 percent blamed on NATO’s US-led forces. The rest could not be attributed.
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Isn't he a bit late for giving this "warning"? Was he living under the rock? By the way, nice way to gain sympathy among civilians. The only trouble is that his followers have killed too many civilians. He should come with another tactic.
This isn’t the first time that Taliban’s leader Mullah Omar has released a statement asking his militant group to stop attacking civilians. Unfortunately, these statements contradict reality. Back at the onset of spring, he issued a similar statement asking for his terrorist group to avoid civilian casualties. While the entire world anxiously waited to witness him and his followers follow through on these promises, their hope for safety was bitterly crushed with more suicide attacks on Afghan civilians. Through his statement, he reveals his militants’ financial and military failures. By addressing the creation of the local and government-backed police force in his statement, he acknowledges that these institutions have added another layer of complication for Taliban terrorist operations. He also asks people to support the Taliban insurgency in the fight against Afghan and international security forces. The change in his tone is due to the fact that they have lost support among Afghans throughout the country. We witnessed local populations standing up against the Taliban in Helmand, Kandahar, Nangarhar and Ghazni provinces, where Taliban fighters were beaten to death by local residents. Unfortunately Mullah Omar did not forget the usual preaching of his violent ideology, which from the group’s inception has been to give out unjustified death sentences for every action against them. He once again warned Afghans to face their judgment, if caught helping the Afghan government. In the past ten years, Afghanistan has made remarkable progress in the field of education. Afghans are more aware of their choices today than they were ten years ago. This phenomenon within the Afghan society has frightened the Taliban and their leaders; therefore, they chose to change their messaging by making false promises. They promised that they will investigate the massacre at the Kabul bank, but unfortunately, they never responded to the families of the victims and the Afghan people with the result of their investigation. Just a day after his statement, a suicide attack killed seven and wounded 15 innocent civilians in Baghlan province, killing innocent Afghan Muslims who were coming out of the mosque after the Eid prayers. How does Mullah Omar justify the murder of 8 civilians killed today in Badghis province by Taliban’s bomb?
MAJ Nevers, DET – U.S. Central Command www.centcom.mil
where is the pashto speech? Does Mullah Omar only speak in English? hey.."persipacity" cool word! and get all those adjectives! I had no idea Pashto was such an expressive language that you had to be a humanities-educated linguist in order to translate it. Sure was nice of him to get that English out though. btw...the Pashto site has been down for months. Exactly who was this greeting for? Muslims or Congressmen?
Another bomb blast in Afghanistan outside a Masjid, after Eid prayers, killing at least 7 Afghan civilians.
The Kharjite terrorists strike again....Omar's words are meaningless...the criminal must be caught, dead or alive.
@ j. von hettlingen
Mr. Hettlingen, no where does the Quran restrict or oppose knowledge or learning. As a matter of fact again and again it confirms that people of knowledge and understanding affirm the Book. The only problem that most conservative Muslims have is that they associate Western education as instilling a secular mind frame. Whereas the Quran over the course of human history (in fact the first revealed surah Al-Alaq claims this) states that knowledge is a gift of God, i.e. from the time of Adam onwards. Even the much contested Darwinian notions of evolution are accepted by the Quran as a Godly process. Really what's required is re-interpreting the educational curriculum in light of the Book. In fact as to what I've learned after analyzing the text is imparting knowledge and wisdom is technically an Islamic decency. I hope Mullah Omar reads this too.
@MUNIB:
Good observation. Today, there is news of a blast near a mosque in Afghanistan. The only way to stop mass murderers from doing their dirty deeds is to crush them.
Siddique, Louisville, KY, USA.
May Allah guide us make us see the true path and true leaders.
I think people of PAK have a tough time de-coding the TALIBAN words. When they used the words like "innocents" "muslims" etc. it simply means they only consider themselves and the ones who support their ideology as the right ones. Every else is infidel and hence should be killed. i.e Barelviz, shiaz, christians, hindu and everyone else
Mulla Omar, I appreciate your love for the Afghan civilians and your concerns for their safety. Would your Shura be more lenient and tolerant towards those who want to learn about life and study sciences, the Afghan people would be even happier!
@samar: You insult the religion by calling a cold-blooded mass-murderer, a molester of young women -- rather a rapist -- a religious person?
Siddique, Louisville, KY, USA.
I am surprised the tribune can publish anything positive about any religious person...
@faraz:
You sound like having a PhD in Afghanistan affairs. How come do you associate the current Taliban-led insurgency to ethnic division in Afghanistan when 90% of Taliban chaos victims are Pashtoon.
@the Skunk: obviously none of ur parents,brothers and children has been a victim (god forbidi) of these beasts;ask those people whose family members have been killed,maimed and burnt alive
I dont want to have a beard when i go to afghanistan for a holiday.
@Sitara: But, now this media claim is supposed to be unquestioned. How convenient for you.
Oh, the cold-blooded mass murderer is experiencing a change of heart. I suppose the hard-work of the American and NATO forces is finally paying off.
Siddique, Louisville, KY, USA.
The civilian deaths caused are through attacks by the TTP. These are cradled by the USA, Europe, RAW and Mossad. Definitely there can be no doubts on that.
The Afghan Taliban had largely kept out of Pakistan and not discounting it entirely, there could have been 'collateral damage' in the real sense of the words. But wanton civilian deaths like the ISAF, NATO forces and TTP is causing is out of the reckoning.
Read the press releases of figures issued by the foreign forces. They present themselves as embodiments of 'superman.' Less than two thousand (2,000) is the casualty figure in ten years. Incredulous. Moreover, the twenty hour attack on the US Embassy and NATO forces in October left only seventy-seven (77) soldiers injured and none killed or died afterwards of injuries. Are the Foreign forces born to be 'bullet resistant?'
The Taliban merge with the local populace and emerge when the time comes. There are good. bad and the ugly but the overall results are not that bad. There is also a lot of hype and negative propaganda against them like the Americans and their allies let loose on us; like 'do more, more needs to be done.' And only the faint hearted fall for it. Eid Mubarak Mullah Omar. Salams to Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.
@All
you people only believe what media says.. You all are victim of media mind control... You are slaves of Doctor Rehman Malik who always blames blasts to Mullah Umar and Taliban....
He should contest next elections in Pakistan ... his party shall give a tough time to the new PTI fad .... plus public right now demands a person who is "rakhwala" of their "jaan o maal" !!!! it is going to help day to day economics of the general masses too ... menfolk shall save all that money right now being spent on shaving rig and womenfolk on multi colored attire !!!! I foresee all positivity there ......
Absolute baloney. Was he taking a nap in the last ten years?
Vienna,November 5, 2011 Wake up of almost one thousand civilian killings, 750 are credited to Mullah Omer´s bomb boys! He is defeating America killing Afghans like Pol Pot killed Cambodians!!! Very intelligent leadership by Mullah Omer. How many more he has fathered in exile now in Pakistan ? Is the question. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna
Is it a joke or something, why is it even a headline? that guy, and his allies have been alleged in so many suicide attacks on CIVILIANS, and in many of such case, they even took the responsibility for it. Sell it somewhere else man.
He is rehearsing about governance. It is unimaginable that this man could survive a decade of CIA led hunt. When and if he comes back to power, I am only afraid of him imposing Sharia both in Afgh-Pak.
He should reconcile with non-pushtoon Afghans to bring long lasting peace. The real problem with Afghanistan is the ethnic division in the society
Awesome. Definitely the Address by Mullah Omar has lots of advices for the world leaders to govern properly in their respective states.