Taliban warns against US-Afghan deal on troops after 2014

Zee Media Bureau

Kabul: Even as a US-Afghan deal allowing NATO troops’ stay after 2014 awaits approval by Afghan Loya Jirga, Taliban leader Mullah Omar has sounded the warning knell threatening “serious consequences”. In an “Eid” message posted on Taliban’s website, Mullah Omar wrote, “The invaders and their allies should understand that the strategic agreement will be accompanied by grave consequences for them”. Omar’s warning comes a day after Afghan President Hamid Karzai and US Secretary of State signed Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) which will see more than 5000 NATO troops being retained in Afghanistan after 2014 to train and assist the local forces and launch anti-terror raids. However, the sticking points remain in the deal with the major obstacle being immunity issue. The US wants its troops to be immune to Afghan laws which seems a tough clause to be passed by Afghan Loya Jirga. Warning against the acceptance of the deal, Omar said that those who would sign the deal do not represent the Loya Jirga of the country and “their decisions are not acceptable”. Warning that Taliban would continue “armed Jihad against them with more momentum”, Mullah Omar said that “the invaders should know that their limited bases will never be accepted”. Rejecting the Presidential elections scheduled for April 2014, the Taliban leader said, “The Afghan people can’t be enticed by the (current) conspiracy of misleading people under the name of elections in the shade of the occupation in the country. There are figures active in these elections who are catering only to personal interests and the interests of the invaders rather than the Islamic and national interests”.