Afghan President Hamid Karzai marked the anniversary of the 11 September attacks on the United States by condemning ‘international terrorism’ and offering condolences to the families of victims.
In a statement, Mr Karzai said Afghanistan was not the source of militancy and those fighting it must focus on the ‘sources and birthplaces of terrorism,’ an apparent reference to Pakistan.
The statement also refers to ‘innocent Afghans’ as the victims of the current strategy of the war against the Taliban, which is nearing the end of its ninth year since the Islamists' regime was overthrown in a US-led invasion.
‘The Afghan government invites the international community and all those who want a lasting and firm war against terrorism, with a critical assessment of the past nine years of anti-terror strategy, to adjust this strategy with the bitter realities regarding terrorism and to provide the grounds for victory’, he said.
The government, he said, ‘offers its firm solidarity with families, the nation and the government of the United States of America and all those who have become victims of terrorism all these years’.
Mr Karzai and other Afghan leaders have in recent months been referring openly to Pakistan as a safe haven for the leaders of the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and other militant groups using it as a base to launch attacks in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's government, military and intelligence agency are variously accused of complicity with these groups, allowing them to hide and thrive on Pakistan soil while destabilising Afghanistan and continuing the long war.
His reference to civilian victims also takes a dig at the US and NATO forces fighting to end the insurgency.
The United Nations reported early this year that the number of civilian casualties in the Afghan war rose by a third in the first six months of 2010, with insurgents killing seven times more civilians than NATO-led troops.
The Taliban issued a statement on Saturday in which they called on American forces to withdraw unconditionally and end the ‘illegal occupation’ of Afghanistan.
