Taliban Praises India For Resisting Us Pressure On Afghanistan

In an unusual comment, Afghan Taliban has praised India as a “significant country” in the region and said New Delhi has done well to resist United States calls for greater military involvement in Afghanistan. “No doubt that India is a significant country in the region… They are aware of the Afghans’ aspirations, creeds and love for freedom. It is totally illogical they should plunge their nation into a calamity just for the American pleasure,” the Taliban said in a statement. The group praised India for what it called sending U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta “empty handed towards Kabul.” Taliban led by Mullah Omar said that Mr. Panetta in his recent visit to India encouraged New Delhi to take a more active role in Afghanistan as most foreign combat troops leave the country in 2014, but he failed to “gain any success or progress in his efforts.” Mr. Panetta “spent three days in India to transfer the heavy burden to their shoulders, to find an exit and to flee from Afghanistan,” said the Taliban, which is fighting a bloody war with US-led NATO forces after its ouster from power in 2001 in Afghanistan.