Afghanistan's Taliban militia has condemned US-led attacks against Afghanistan as a "terrorist act" and said it would not deliver Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden to the United States, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported.
"The US attack is a terrorist act," AIP quoted Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Mr Abdul Salam Zaeef as saying, as several Afghan cities came under heavy air and missile attack.
"We cannot hand over Osama to the United States," Mr Zaeef said.
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Pakistanis hold a portrait of Osama Bin Laden at a protest demonstration in Karachi in support of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban
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Pakistanis hold a portrait of Osama Bin Laden at a protest demonstration in Karachi in support of Afghanistan's ruling Taliban
"This is an attack on an independent country. We will fight until our last breath. America will be responsible for the killing of poor people," he said.
Washington's military retaliation followed the Taliban's refusal to hand over indicted terrorist Osama bin Laden, the main suspect behind the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.
Mr Zaeef claimed bin Laden and Taliban supreme leader Mr Mullah Mohammad Omar survived the attacks.
"Alhamdulillah" (thank God), he said when by reporters if bin Laden and Omar were still alive.
"Afghanistan is a victim of American expansionism. The United States will not achieve its political goals in dismantling the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," Mr Zaeef said.
While the Taliban had offered negotiations, the United States had chosen the path of military aggression, he said.
"Such brutal attacks will unify the whole Afghan nation. The Afghan people will rise against this new colonial attempt."
AFP and