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Taleban not a threat, says Karzai Taleban 'not a long-term threat'
(20 minutes later)
The Taleban do not pose a threat to long-term stability in Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai has said.The Taleban do not pose a threat to long-term stability in Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai has said.
In an interview with the BBC, a defiant Mr Karzai dismissed threats from the militant group to step up attacks on the Afghan capital, Kabul. In an interview with the BBC, a defiant Mr Karzai dismissed threats from the militant group that it plans to step up attacks on the capital, Kabul.
Mr Karzai also said every effort had to be made to stop the killings of Afghan civilians by Nato-led forces. Mr Karzai also said international forces in the country should do more to prevent the killings of civilians.
Aid agencies say foreign and Afghan forces have killed at least 230 civilians this year.Aid agencies say foreign and Afghan forces have killed at least 230 civilians this year.
'No guts' Earlier, a Taleban spokesman, Zabiyullah Mujahed, told the BBC the militant group was changing its tactics to mount more attacks on Kabul.
Previous Taleban and al-Qaeda rulers had been thrown out and did not "have the guts" to seriously challenge the Afghan government, Mr Karzai told the BBC. But Mr Karzai said Ppevious Taleban and al-Qaeda rulers had been thrown out and did not "have the guts" to seriously challenge the Afghan government,
Every effort has to be made ... for civilians to stop being casualties Hamid KarzaiAfghan presidentEvery effort has to be made ... for civilians to stop being casualties Hamid KarzaiAfghan president
"Now all that they can do is to blow bombs and not really have the guts to confront us," he said."Now all that they can do is to blow bombs and not really have the guts to confront us," he said.
"So it is not a threat to the survival of Afghanistan, its government, its future objective.""So it is not a threat to the survival of Afghanistan, its government, its future objective."
But the ongoing violence was devastating Afghan civilians, Mr Karzai said, pointing to both the Taleban offensive and the civilian deaths caused by the American-led Nato forces in his country. But the ongoing violence was devastating Afghan civilians, Mr Karzai said, pointing to both the Taleban offensive and the civilian deaths caused by international forces.
He called on the international forces to take every possible measure to avoid killing civilians.
AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE This week, BBC News is taking an in-depth look at the challenges facing Afghanistan's people and the peacekeepers. Stories include: the state of the Taleban; corruption; the drugs problem; and attacks on schools. Taleban interview in full Afghanistan in-depth Can Afghanistan be won?AFGHANISTAN'S FUTURE This week, BBC News is taking an in-depth look at the challenges facing Afghanistan's people and the peacekeepers. Stories include: the state of the Taleban; corruption; the drugs problem; and attacks on schools. Taleban interview in full Afghanistan in-depth Can Afghanistan be won?
"Every effort has to be made for it to stop ... every detail has to be worked out for it in order for civilians to stop being casualties," he said."Every effort has to be made for it to stop ... every detail has to be worked out for it in order for civilians to stop being casualties," he said.
"This is a suffering that increasingly is becoming difficult for us to accept or understand.""This is a suffering that increasingly is becoming difficult for us to accept or understand."
Earlier, a Taleban spokesman told the BBC the militant group was changing its tactics to mount more attacks on Kabul. There are two international missions in Afghanistan: Nato's International Security Assistance Force (Isaf), with 37,000 troops from 37 countries including the US, which is helping the Afghan government bring security, development and better governance.
Zabiyullah Mujahed said the city was the group's next main target. The US-led coalition - under the banner of Operation Enduring Freedom - is a counter-terrorism mission that involves mainly special forces.
Correspondents say the south of the country has this year seen the worst violence since the Taleban were ousted from power in 2001 by an international coalition. Correspondents say the south of the country has this year seen the worst violence since the Taleban were ousted from power in 2001 by US-led troops.