The Taliban plan to defend their southern bastion of Kandahar to the last and would rather die fighting than be humiliated by the Forces of infidels, a senior official said Saturday. Abdul Salam Zaeef, the former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan, said the militia would never hand over control of Kandahar where Pashtun tribal forces have been trying to negotiate a bloodless takeover.

“We have decided to defend Kandahar to our last. We will not hand over Kandahar to anyone,” Zaeef was quoted as saying by the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press.
“Our leadership prefers death over humiliation. (Taliban leader) Mullah Omar has ordered everyone to fight and not bow before the forces of infidels.”
He said there were clashes with Opposition forces around Takhtapul town in the east of Kandahar province, but he did not elaborate. Bureau Report