thedrifter
06-25-03, 08:57 PM
Taliban regroups to fight coalition
James Bone & Zahid Hussain The Times, London
KABUL, June 25. — Resurgent Taliban forces have reorganised their command structure to fight against coalition troops in Afghanistan and the US-backed government of President Mr Hamid Karzai.
The Taliban has stepped up attacks on coalition forces and Al-Qaida is displaying a “new boldness” despite efforts by the UN to crack down on both groups, according to a UN report obtained by The Times.
As thousands of Pakistani, American and Afghan government troops continued operations against the rebel fighters along Afghanistan’s eastern borders with Pakistan, Mullah Md Omar, the fugitive supreme leader of the former Taliban regime, has named a 10-man leadership council.
Mullah Omar announced the formation of a Rahbari Shura (leadership council) in an audio tape message said to have been sent from his hiding place in Afghanistan. The council comprises former military commanders, including Jalaluddin Haqqani, Mullah Akhtar Md Usmani and Mullah Dadaullah, who are being hunted by the US and Afghan government troops.
Mukhtar Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban movement, said the Pushto-language tape contained Mullah Omar’s message urging Afghans to intensify resistance against foreign troops.
The UN team that is tracking UN sanctions on the two groups says that the present travel ban, arms embargo and financial restrictions have had little effect on curbing Al-Qaida. Its report says: “Despite the travel ban, members of the al-Qaeda network have retained a high degree of mobility, and have been able to carry out and contribute to terrorist attacks in several countries around the world.” Al-Qaida has been able to exploit “loopholes” in the international banking system, using charities and informal transfer mechanisms such as “hawala” Islamic banking, to receive and transfer funds. “Many of the Al-Qaida sources of funding have yet to be uncovered and frozen,” the report says. Al-Qaida and its members are continuing “attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction”.
The UN team, chaired by a British expert named Mr Michael Chandler, says that a recent assault on a guarded foreigners’ housing complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, suggests that Al-Qaida “may be willing to expand its activities beyond ‘soft targets’ to underscore its continued strength”.
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
James Bone & Zahid Hussain The Times, London
KABUL, June 25. — Resurgent Taliban forces have reorganised their command structure to fight against coalition troops in Afghanistan and the US-backed government of President Mr Hamid Karzai.
The Taliban has stepped up attacks on coalition forces and Al-Qaida is displaying a “new boldness” despite efforts by the UN to crack down on both groups, according to a UN report obtained by The Times.
As thousands of Pakistani, American and Afghan government troops continued operations against the rebel fighters along Afghanistan’s eastern borders with Pakistan, Mullah Md Omar, the fugitive supreme leader of the former Taliban regime, has named a 10-man leadership council.
Mullah Omar announced the formation of a Rahbari Shura (leadership council) in an audio tape message said to have been sent from his hiding place in Afghanistan. The council comprises former military commanders, including Jalaluddin Haqqani, Mullah Akhtar Md Usmani and Mullah Dadaullah, who are being hunted by the US and Afghan government troops.
Mukhtar Mujahid, a spokesman for the Taliban movement, said the Pushto-language tape contained Mullah Omar’s message urging Afghans to intensify resistance against foreign troops.
The UN team that is tracking UN sanctions on the two groups says that the present travel ban, arms embargo and financial restrictions have had little effect on curbing Al-Qaida. Its report says: “Despite the travel ban, members of the al-Qaeda network have retained a high degree of mobility, and have been able to carry out and contribute to terrorist attacks in several countries around the world.” Al-Qaida has been able to exploit “loopholes” in the international banking system, using charities and informal transfer mechanisms such as “hawala” Islamic banking, to receive and transfer funds. “Many of the Al-Qaida sources of funding have yet to be uncovered and frozen,” the report says. Al-Qaida and its members are continuing “attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction”.
The UN team, chaired by a British expert named Mr Michael Chandler, says that a recent assault on a guarded foreigners’ housing complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, suggests that Al-Qaida “may be willing to expand its activities beyond ‘soft targets’ to underscore its continued strength”.
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: