muck
11-01-2007, 06:32 PM
Taliban leader declares war to north Afghanistan
The north of Afghanistan, like the south of the country, should be aflame soon - and for the first time, fighting should continue during winter: This was announced by Taliban leader Mansur Dadullah during a propaganda interview.
Canadian troops meanwhile stopped the Taliban advance on Kandahar.
Kabul / Berlin - The interview with Mansur Dadullah is a quarter of an hour long. Today it has been broadcasted by al Qaidas propaganda division "al Sahab" on Jihad internet pages. It is available to SPIEGEL ONLINE.
http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,1008729,00.jpg (http://uebersetzer.abacho.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,grossbild-1008728-514849,00.html)
http://uebersetzer.abacho.de/static/sys/v8/icons/ic_lupe.gif (http://uebersetzer.abacho.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,grossbild-1008728-514849,00.html)
AFP
Mansur Dadullah during the interview: "We will kill their soldiers "
According to the Arabian subtitles of the tape the radical islamist threatens with an expansion of the Taliban attacks in the north of Afghanistan where also the Bundeswehr is stationed:
"Our mobilization in the north has begun. (...) In the north the same state should be reached like in the south ." Where and when exactly the interview was recorded remains unclear. However, it is dated with "Ramadan 1428" and thus was produced in October or September of this year. Mansur Dadullah is shown how he bends over maps; nevertheless, most of the time he answers questions of a visitor in front of a sandy tent square.
During the 15 minutes, the brother of the Mullah Dadullah, who was killed only few months ago speaks out on a wide range of subjects. However, his announcement that the Taliban want to continue fighting during winter could be very explosive: " We hope that the war goes on in winter with the same intensity which it has now. We will carry out big and massive operations in winter against our enemies. (...) we will conquer their positions and kill their soldiers."
Up to now, there was a clear reduction of Taliban activities during the winter months .
Dadullah further explained, the Taliban would maintain "good and strong relations " to the terror network of al Qaida : " If they have strategical information, they give them to us. If we need something, they help out us out, and the other way round", he said. Also, there is contact to the terrorists in Iraq: " We discuss about the newest weapon developments on the frontline. "
During the past months, experts and the US military had pointed out that techniques used in Iraq had been exported to Afghanistan by militants.
However, according to Dadullah, it would be a lie that the Taliban would receive support from Iran. Furthermore, it would be "propaganda by the enemy" that the movement finances itself with drug traffic.
Dadullah also said that the uppermost ideological leader of the movement, Mullah Omar, is in "good health". He said he had received a letter of him only a few days ago. Mullah Omar went into hiding some years ago.
(...[Report about recent developments in the south])
yas/mgb/asc/dpa/*******
Well, considering that of a total of 26 attacks against Germans in the past five years ten happened in the second half of 2007, I'd say that it could have been a clever decision to stay in the north in case that the Taliban actually try to takeover this area. Time will tell.
The north of Afghanistan, like the south of the country, should be aflame soon - and for the first time, fighting should continue during winter: This was announced by Taliban leader Mansur Dadullah during a propaganda interview.
Canadian troops meanwhile stopped the Taliban advance on Kandahar.
Kabul / Berlin - The interview with Mansur Dadullah is a quarter of an hour long. Today it has been broadcasted by al Qaidas propaganda division "al Sahab" on Jihad internet pages. It is available to SPIEGEL ONLINE.
http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,1008729,00.jpg (http://uebersetzer.abacho.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,grossbild-1008728-514849,00.html)
http://uebersetzer.abacho.de/static/sys/v8/icons/ic_lupe.gif (http://uebersetzer.abacho.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,grossbild-1008728-514849,00.html)
AFP
Mansur Dadullah during the interview: "We will kill their soldiers "
According to the Arabian subtitles of the tape the radical islamist threatens with an expansion of the Taliban attacks in the north of Afghanistan where also the Bundeswehr is stationed:
"Our mobilization in the north has begun. (...) In the north the same state should be reached like in the south ." Where and when exactly the interview was recorded remains unclear. However, it is dated with "Ramadan 1428" and thus was produced in October or September of this year. Mansur Dadullah is shown how he bends over maps; nevertheless, most of the time he answers questions of a visitor in front of a sandy tent square.
During the 15 minutes, the brother of the Mullah Dadullah, who was killed only few months ago speaks out on a wide range of subjects. However, his announcement that the Taliban want to continue fighting during winter could be very explosive: " We hope that the war goes on in winter with the same intensity which it has now. We will carry out big and massive operations in winter against our enemies. (...) we will conquer their positions and kill their soldiers."
Up to now, there was a clear reduction of Taliban activities during the winter months .
Dadullah further explained, the Taliban would maintain "good and strong relations " to the terror network of al Qaida : " If they have strategical information, they give them to us. If we need something, they help out us out, and the other way round", he said. Also, there is contact to the terrorists in Iraq: " We discuss about the newest weapon developments on the frontline. "
During the past months, experts and the US military had pointed out that techniques used in Iraq had been exported to Afghanistan by militants.
However, according to Dadullah, it would be a lie that the Taliban would receive support from Iran. Furthermore, it would be "propaganda by the enemy" that the movement finances itself with drug traffic.
Dadullah also said that the uppermost ideological leader of the movement, Mullah Omar, is in "good health". He said he had received a letter of him only a few days ago. Mullah Omar went into hiding some years ago.
(...[Report about recent developments in the south])
yas/mgb/asc/dpa/*******
Well, considering that of a total of 26 attacks against Germans in the past five years ten happened in the second half of 2007, I'd say that it could have been a clever decision to stay in the north in case that the Taliban actually try to takeover this area. Time will tell.