Mulla Dadullah terms Pope's remarks as war against Islam

Chief Military Commander of Taliban Mulla Dadullah has said that Pope's remarks proved that a war has begun against Islam in the world. Talking to Afghan Islamic Press from and undisclosed location on Saturday (Sept. 16), Mulla Dadullah, said, "The Pope's remarks were false and misleading and he knows nothing about Islam. Our Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) preached Islam for 13 years in Mecca and migrated to Madina due to Kafirs (infidels) but the infidels followed Him to Madina for fighting."

 As Bush had termed the present war as crusade, similarly the Pope Benedict XVI statement proved that the ongoing war is not between Afghans and Americans but this is a war between Islam and infidelity and now it has been proved that a war has been started against Islam, Mullad Dadullah said while commenting over Pope's remarks. He termed the present situation in Afghanistan in favour of Taliban and said that government has no control over southern provinces as Taliban rule these areas.

Asked how many suicide attackers Taliban have in their ranks, the Taliban military commander said, "Now, I have 500 suicide attackers (Fidaeen) and we have set up training centres in Afghanistan for the formal training of suicide attackers." To a question about NATO decision of sending more troops to Afghanistan, Dadullah said, "We have no fear neither we have any concern as the more infidels come to Afghanistan, the more will be killed." He dismissed government figures of Taliban casualties and said, "Once I saw 25 bodies of the enemy soldiers but the enemy reported that one of their soldiers was killed and one wounded."

About the huge civilian casualties in Taliban attacks, he said, "We do not kill civilians but the government do it as approximately 400 to 500 civilians were killed by collation and Afghan forces in Panjwai." He also criticized Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf for his remarks, saying that "It is not a matter of Pakhtuns but every Muslim in the world is our supporter and if they think us more dangerous then really we are."

Dadullah also rejected reports of the presence of Mulla Omar and Osma bin Laden in Pakistan and said they were not in Pakistan because Pakistan did not allow them as it handed over 250 fighters to Afghanistan during the last one and half months. With the beginning of new year (21 March 2006) our war and explosions will be in the heart of Kabul, he concluded.