Taliban gaining strength in Afghanistan--commander
CHAMAN, Pakistan, June 4 (Reuters) The Taliban are gaining strength in Afghanistan and are determined to intensify their attacks against foreign and government forces, a Taliban commander said on Sunday.
Violence has surged in Afghanistan in recent weeks to its worst since the 2001 overthrow of the hardline Taliban government but the district commander, Mullah Hayat Khan, said the violence was winning the militants more support.
''Now the people of Afghanistan are giving full cooperation to us,'' Khan told Reuters in the southwestern Pakistani border town of Chaman.
''There is more anger against foreign forces and their brutality against the people,'' he said, referring to recent bombing by US forces that he said had killed many civilians.
''The people of Afghanistan have become fed up with Americans,'' said Khan, who said he was Taliban commander of the Spin Boldak area, in the southern province of Kandahar, opposite Chaman.
''They break into houses, arrest people indiscriminately and torture them. These brutalities have increased anger among the people,'' he said.
''They are providing us shelter. They also lend us their arms and even take part in our jihad (holy war). Even people within the government are cooperating with us.'' He said the Taliban were also grooming suicide attackers and vowed there would be more attacks against foreign forces.
''At least 40 suicide bombers in my group are ready for attacks.
They are all Afghans.'' ''It is now not very difficult to prepare suicide attackers. In the past, al Qaeda used to prepare Taliban for suicide attacks but now we have gained expertise. I myself am able to train people,'' he said.
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