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| Taleban 'not a long-term threat' | Taleban 'not a long-term threat' |
| (about 3 hours 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 that it plans to step up attacks on the 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 international forces in the country should do more to prevent the killings of civilians. | 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. |
| Earlier, a Taleban spokesman, Zabiyullah Mujahed, told the BBC the militant group was changing its tactics to mount more attacks on Kabul. | Earlier, a Taleban spokesman, Zabiyullah Mujahed, told the BBC the militant group was changing its tactics to mount more attacks on Kabul. |
| But Mr Karzai said previous 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 president | Every 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 international forces. | 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. |
| 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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| The US-led coalition - under the banner of Operation Enduring Freedom - is a counter-terrorism mission that involves mainly special forces. | 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 US-led troops. | 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. |