Total US withdrawal only solution: Taliban
14 February, 2013
KABUL: While reacting over US President Barack Obama's announcement that 34000 troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan, Taliban on Wednesday said drawdown was not a basic solution to the issue rather "a complete end should be brought to the occupation." "Obama's announcement to pull out 34000 troops from Afghanistan is not a basic solution to the issue. Steps should be taken for the withdrawal of all the troops as it is in the interest of both United States and Afghanistan," the Taliban Islamic Emirate said in a statement available with Afghan Islamic Press (AIP). It said United States and other countries should find fact of the war and withdraw all their troops as soon as possible instead of phased withdrawal and let the Afghans decide their own fate. Taliban vowed to continue resistance even in the presence of a single foreign soldier in Afghanistan. "The basic solution to the Afghanistan issue is brining a complete end to the occupation. Our sacred jihad would continue with full force even if a single foreign soldier stays in our country. We will continue our resistance till the fulfilment of the aspirations of our people," the statement concluded. Taliban have also made similar demands in their statements issued on different occupations in the past. In his State of the Union Address, US President Barack Obama announced that 34,000 US troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan within a year. He pledged that by the end of 2014, the US war in the country will be over. United States has around 66000 troops in Afghanistan. End.
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