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Karzai reaches out to Afghan Taliban on Eid

* NATO official says US allies may offer up to 5,000 troops for Afghanistan

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai reached out to the Taliban on Friday, part of a call for reconciliation that the palace says will be the main focus of his second term that began last week.

Speaking to reporters outside his palace in Kabul on the first day of the Eidul Azha, Karzai said, “I once again call upon our brothers, the Taliban, Hezb-e-Islami and everyone who is away from their land and who have taken up arms against their soil, to come back to their country for peace, stability, prosperity,” he said. “So that we Afghan people join hand in hand together to rebuild and prosper our beloved country.”

Hezb-e-Islami refers to followers of former anti-Soviet guerrilla commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who has been sympathetic to Taliban aims. Karzai, sworn in last week for his second five-year term, called for reconciliation with the militants in his inauguration speech and his office has said the insurgents could be asked to attend a “loya jirga”, or grand council meeting, next year.

In a rare public statement on Wednesday, the Taliban’s reclusive leader, Mullah Omar, rejected Kabul’s calls for negotiations and called on Afghans to break off ties with their “stooge” government. The Taliban, who have intensified their insurgency to its strongest levels since being toppled by US-backed forces in 2001, have repeatedly said they will not hold talks with the government as long as there are foreign troops in Afghanistan. US officials have backed Afghan efforts to reach out to the militants, including attempts to make contact with Saudi Arabia acting as a go-between.

Troops: A NATO officer, meanwhile, said on Friday US allies are expected to announce reinforcements of 4,000 to 5,000 troops for Afghanistan once President Barack Obama commits to deploying extra soldiers there. The US is counting on its allies — more than 40 countries have troops in Afghanistan — and particularly European nations to provide up to 10,000 troops to meet recommendations by the top US and NATO officer there. European nations “will keep in place at least 1,500 soldiers” that they sent as temporary reinforcements for the elections in August, the officer told AFP on condition of anonymity. Some of those countries concerned — Britain, Germany and Spain which combined sent almost 1,000 troops — have pledged to leave them in the country, or compensate for any who are withdrawn, he said. Washington has also asked Italy to do the same, even if the 400-500 soldiers sent for the August 20 presidential and provincial polls, which were marred by fraud, have begun to leave Afghanistan.

France has so far insisted it will not send any more troops, but Washington is applying pressure on Paris to come up with some, to help implement the new strategy designed by US General Stanley McChrystal. “The United States wants Paris to send at least 1,000 extra soldiers,” the officer said. agencies

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