KABUL: The Taliban's reclusive leader Mullah Omar has issued an Eid message claiming victories on the battlefield against NATO and defending initial contacts, now suspended, with the US.
The rare statement by the militants' leader, said by the Afghan government to be based in neighbouring Pakistan, came on the eve of Eid-al-Fitr celebrations marking the end of the holy month of Ramazan.
The "unique distinction" of this year's summer offensive by the Taliban was that it had reached all areas of the country and forced NATO and Afghan government troops to adopt defensive positions, he said.
Omar claimed that a spate of green-on-blue attacks, in which Afghan forces turn their weapons against Nato personnel, was the result of Taliban infiltrating local security units.
Nato, which has some 130,000 US-led troops in Afghanistan, has acknowledged a spike in such incidents this summer, but says most are motivated by cultural differences between troops and plays down the role of Taliban infiltration.
A total of 37 foreign troops have been killed in green-on-blue attacks this year.
In an apparent move to allay fears among some Taliban factions, Omar said in the seven-page message posted on the group's website that initial talks with the United States "had not meant submission or abandoning our goals".
Instead they had been aimed at initiating an exchange of prisoners, opening a political office and to "reach our goals", he said, noting that the Taliban had suspended the talks earlier this year.
Omar said the Taliban "will make efforts to reach an understanding with the Afghan factions in due time following (the) pull-out of the invaders".
Nato troops are due to withdraw by the end of 2014.
The Taliban has always refused to negotiate directly with the Western-backed government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Attempting to counter its reputation for the brutal suppression of women's rights, Omar said a Taliban government would "give all legitimate rights to women in the light of the Islamic principles, national interests and our noble culture".
The Taliban were in power from 1996 until being ousted by a US-led invasion in 2001 for harbouring al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.
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The main Terrorist is USA and killing innocents in Afghanistan. We Pakistan will always help our brothers in Afghanistan and Pakistani doors always open for Muslims brothers UMAR, OSAMA and other Mujahideen. We will always help them. Lon Live Islamic Republic Pakistan
@kaalchakra: And what are you smoking while having halucinations at the keyboard?
Mula OMAR zinda baad, ISLAM zinda baad. we want you back come quick and if you need me i am here to join Tailb group in Afghanistan,
Let all haters hate. Thank you, Sir, for keeping the flag of Pakistan flying over Afghanistan and of Islam all over the world. Bring peace to the poor, hungry people of Afghanistan. Fight all distant and disbelieving aggressors and Pharaohs who think they can replace Allah. O' Mighty Sword of Allah, smash their false pride. Be a joy to Pakistan and rule over brotherly Afghanistan.
@ Falcon, I hope to god what you say is true, but I have reasons to doubt IK's credibility. If you see Sheikh Rasheeds speech during his jalsa, he calls mullah omar "Ameer Ul Momineen".
Mullah Omar's government was truly a patriotic one and they wanted to get Afghanistan a place (distinctive) in the global community.. But America was too hasty to attack Afghanistan and Taliban were not ready to give up Osama, a guest of the state. Had America used Pakistan and global forums to negotiate with Taliban, we would not have seen such troubles. Mullah Omar is far better and pro-pakistani than TTP, a gang of hideous rats..
When is this cyclops ever going to come with an apology to the many relatives of many innocent lives his murderous gang has taken in the name of Islam? I wounder when? I am so surprised that we as muslim consider these people still as leaders. How can we be so sensitive and indifference towards these so called leaders? to be honest most of us support one or the other gang. Is it because we are foolish to not see the truth. If a leader in the west causes one innoncent persons death then that leader becomes history but in our lands people who kill, rape, steal money and electricity, does bata khori etc etc roam around without any hesitance! It is very disheartening to see pakistanis become happy when there is a blast in kabul/khost/kandahar and vice versa Afghans become happy when there is a blast in punjab/lahore/karachi etc. Why don't we all stop the games and get rid of the corrupt leaders and the murderous terrorists?
The hypocrisy is that while Pakistanis support Taliban control over Afghans, they do not support Taliban control over Pakistan.
Afghan Taliban and TTP are ideologically identical, yet just because Afghan Taliban fight against NATO forces they are supported. Never mind that these Afghan Taliban also closely coordinate with the TTP fellows and pose a direct threat to Pakistan. As long as they fight NATO, whose citizens are, by the way, thousands of miles away and safe, are enjoying a great, secure life, Pakistanis will support the Afghan Taliban.
There was a time when Baitullah Mehsud was lauded as a great "Pakistani Patriot" by the ISI chief and Fazlullah was made deals with. That soon changed. Over time Afghan Taliban will also turn, by then they will be too powerful to defeat for Pakistan.
Good luck.
Omar is a rat who brought more death and destruction to Afghanistan by harboring international terrorists like Laden and local sectarian and jehadi terrorists from Pakistan and Kashmir. He has a big part in violence of Pakistan and Kashmir not just in Afghanistan.
Does Mullah Omar really exists? Is this his true picture?
Fighting with the oppressor is the noblest thing to do...
"Omar said a Taliban government would “give all legitimate rights to women in the light of the Islamic principles, national interests and our noble culture”." My foot. The only culture the taliban has is in their buttermilk
He hates Pakistan and more importantly he hates our national diet (dal)!
@shadi: I agree that it was really irresponsible of Pakistan's establishment to have backed Taliban in Afghanistan against the will of its people. However, I would just like to clarify your concern against IK. IK is not interested in joining hands with Taliban. All he wants to do is to reach ceasefire with them so that bloodshed of innocents can be stopped. After that he wants to strengthen the writ of the state so that these groups are unable to flourish to begin with.
2016 - and same man would be issuing Eid message for Pakistan as well - with Americans gone, who is going to stop him march in to Pakistan with TTP brothers waiting for him on the other side of Khyber?
Omar! When are you comming to rescue us from TTP ?
The expectations were in his Eid message he will ask the TTP to stop insurgencies and suicide attacks in Pakistan but I was dim-witted,
mullah omor please stop ttp from attacking pakistan. pakistanis are getting annoyed with all talibans due to these attacks.
This man, leads Quetta shura which is behind the massacare of Hazara ppl in balochistan, and Imran Khan wants to join hand with these people? also @ PAKISTANI PUKHTOON if you ever meet any real afghanis ask them what they feel about Taliban and Pakistan, they will tell you they hate pakistan more than taliban, as taliban tortured them but pakistan enforced taliban upon them. This man wont educate afghanistan he will be the force behind the murder of 1000s of women, the rape of another 1000 boys and underage marriage of another 1000 young girls.
@Pakistani Pukhtoon agree!!! I just hope Americans have the decency to give them the opportunity to join govt
well we hope mullah omar keep his words as TTP broke their promises in the past. thats a good sign hope mullah omar leave education institutes in afghanistan it is the pakhtoons like his children will be benefited. he should also allow democratic process and avoid killing or forcing people by force to do such things. this is global world and such things are not allowed neither any country will help. Aghanistan has suffered very much pakistan should also change the 1980s policies of zia ul haq
He was a bit late in giving his Eid message!!!! TTP has already given that yesterday at Mansehra..................
Damn. I though it would be an Eid Greeting. Silly me.