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Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai talks with media on the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha in Kabul - Source: Reuters -
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Afghan President Hamid Karzai reached out to the Taliban, part
of a call for reconciliation that the palace says will be the main
focus of his second term that began last week.
Speaking to reporters outside his palace in Kabul on the first day
of the Muslim Eid Al-Adha holiday, Karzai said:
"I once again call upon our brothers, the Taliban, Hezb-e-Islami
and everyone who is away from their land and who have taken up arms
against their soil, to come back to their country for peace,
stability, prosperity," he said.
"So that we Afghan people join hand in hand together to rebuild and
prosper our beloved country." Hezb-e-Islami refers to followers of
former anti-Soviet guerrilla commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, an
Islamist who has been sympathetic to Taliban aims.
Karzai, sworn in last week for his second five-year term, called
for reconciliation with the militants in his inauguration speech
and his office has said the insurgents could be asked to attend a
loya jirga, or grand council meeting, next year.
In a rare public statement, the Taliban's reclusive leader, Mullah
Omar, rejected Kabul's calls for negotiations and called on Afghans
to break off ties with their stooge government.
The Taliban, who have intensified their insurgency to its strongest
levels since being toppled by US-backed forces in 2001, have
repeatedly said they will not hold talks with the government as
long as there are foreign troops in Afghanistan.
US President Barack Obama is expected to announce next week a
strategy that involves sending tens of thousands more troops to to
fight the growing insurgency.
There are now about 110,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan,
two-thirds of them American.
US officials have backed Afghan efforts to reach out to the
militants, including attempts to make contact with Saudi Arabia
acting as a go-between.
"I will not abandon this struggle. I hope that Mullah (Omar) and
other Taliban realise this act is a national necessity for peace
and security," he said.
Karzai, whose reputation has been severely damaged after a
fraud-marred election in August, called on his rivals, including
former presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah to join the new
government. He is expected to announce a cabinet line-up in coming
weeks.
