Taliban threaten more attacks on Canadian troops in Afghanistan

Kandahar/ Ottawa, Aug 18 : The Taliban have threatened Canada that it will launch attacks like last week if the Canadian troops didn't pull out of Afghanistan. Several Canadian aid workers were gunned down near Kabul last week by unidentified militants.

In an letter written to the Canada Government, the Taliban warned that if its troops continued to stay in Afghanistan, they would kill them.

"Afghanistan has to try to have good relations with you, but if your government continues a reversed policy, the Afghans will be obliged to kill your nationals, in revenge for their brothers, their sisters, and their children. Events such as Logar will happen again, because occupied Afghanistan looks at all actors that are established in the interest of America with an eye of hostility," the Globe and Mail quoted the Taliban as saying in the letter that was signed under the seal of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

The Taliban added in the letter: "Therefore, you have to convince your government to put an end to the occupation of Afghanistan, so that the Afghans are not killed with your hands and so that you are not killed with the hands of the Afghans."

Reacting to the fresh threats, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion said in Montreal that it should not come as a surprise that the Taliban were seeking to terrorize aid efforts. "We know that the Taliban will use any means to further their terrorist goals. I expect the government of Canada to do everything to protect the brave civilians who are doing all they can to help the Afghan people," he reportedly said while speaking to reporters.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay also described the Taliban letter as "disgusting." "This letter is a disgusting attempt to justify the deliberate killings of innocent civilians. There is no justification for these killings by the Taliban," he said in an e-mail sent via his press secretary.

MacKay added: "Canada is in Afghanistan at the request of the democratically elected government of that country. Canadians are part of a UN-sanctioned, NATO-led coalition that is attempting to bring stability and security to the people of Afghanistan. We will continue to fight for these goals. We will continue to protect the Afghan people from these ruthless killers."

ANI