“After the recent drone strikes in Pakistan, the Taliban and al-Qaeda leadership in Afghanistan have jointly decided to take revenge of these US attacks,” said Qari Ziaur Rehman, a Taliban commander, while talking to The News via telephone from an undisclosed location in Kunar province of Afghanistan.
“The revenge of the US drone strikes in Pakistani tribal areas will be taken by intensifying attacks on the US installations and troops in Afghanistan,” he said. “The other elements working with the foreign occupation troops in Afghanistan will also be targeted,” he added.
When contacted by The News, Ajmal Wazir, a young tribal leader, said the recent drone attacks in the tribal areas killed innocent people. He confirmed that the condolence message of the Taliban leadership was received from Afghanistan for the first time after a US drone attack.
“We have also been offered by the Taliban leadership all sorts of help but the tribal people are a dignified nation and they can’t seek or accept any help from outside in the existing circumstances,” Ajmal Wazir said.
