The Taliban has rejected claims that it or any of its allies have ties to the Pakistani government.
The insurgent group said in a statement issued today that it has no bases in Pakistan.
The English-language statement in the name of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan -- the Taliban's name for itself -- was posted on its Voice of Jihad website.
The Taliban also rejected U.S. charges that the Haqqani network, one of its key allies, has ties to Pakistan's intelligence service. The statement said Haqqani network founder Jalaluddin Haqqani is a key member of the Taliban leadership.
The top U.S. military officer, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, recently accused Pakistan's intelligence service of supporting the Haqqani network.
The United States has also blamed the Haqqani network over the September 13 attack on its embassy in Kabul, in which 14 people died.
On September 26, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner called for action to be taken against militant safe havens.
"We are very clear in our position on this," Toner said. "We believe that these kind of safe havens are extremely troubling and, indeed, a matter of great concern and a dangerous development for both the United States and for Pakistan. So we want to see action taken against them."
Toner also said the United States is considering placing the Haqqani network on its list of terror groups.
compiled from agency reports
The insurgent group said in a statement issued today that it has no bases in Pakistan.
The English-language statement in the name of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan -- the Taliban's name for itself -- was posted on its Voice of Jihad website.
The Taliban also rejected U.S. charges that the Haqqani network, one of its key allies, has ties to Pakistan's intelligence service. The statement said Haqqani network founder Jalaluddin Haqqani is a key member of the Taliban leadership.
The top U.S. military officer, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, recently accused Pakistan's intelligence service of supporting the Haqqani network.
The United States has also blamed the Haqqani network over the September 13 attack on its embassy in Kabul, in which 14 people died.
On September 26, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner called for action to be taken against militant safe havens.
"We are very clear in our position on this," Toner said. "We believe that these kind of safe havens are extremely troubling and, indeed, a matter of great concern and a dangerous development for both the United States and for Pakistan. So we want to see action taken against them."
Toner also said the United States is considering placing the Haqqani network on its list of terror groups.
compiled from agency reports
