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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Taliban Declares NATO Defeat After 13-Year War in Afghanistan<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><img width=600 height=340 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D0238B.47E6AAB0" alt="Description: NATO-led ISAF soldiers keep guard in Afghanistan (Photo:AFP)"></span><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>NATO-led ISAF soldiers keep guard in Afghanistan (Photo:AFP)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Published 29 December 2014 (8 hours 17 minutes ago) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>0<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><img width=27 height=23 id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image002.png@01D0238B.47E6AAB0" alt="Description: Coments"></span><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><a href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Taliban-Declares-NATO-Defeat-After-13-Year-War-in-Afghanistan-20141229-0007.html#comsup" title=Coments><span style='color:blue'>+</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Although, the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said he is open to peace talks, the Taliban says they will keep struggling until each and every foreign military leaves the country.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The Taliban insurgency issued a statement Monday declaring the defeat of the NATO forces after 13 years of war in Afghanistan, and just one day after the <a href="http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/NATO-Officially-Ends-Combat-Missions-in-Afghanistan--20141228-0005.html"><span style='color:blue'>NATO-led forces announced the end of their combat missions in the country.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>In a low profile ceremony in Kabul, NATO forces announced Sunday the end of their International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) combat mission. The ceremony was previously unannounced due to the threat of a Taliban attack.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The Taliban reasoned in their statement, “ISAF rolled up its flag in an atmosphere of failure and disappointment without having achieved anything substantial or tangible.” And added, “We consider this step a clear indication of their defeat and disappointment.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>During Sunday’s ceremony, the NATO coalition announced that they are going to withdraw their troops and stop combat missions, however, they will leave some 12,000 troops in Afghanistan in order to train and provide security and logistical support to the local forces.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>“Our new mission, ‘Resolute Support,’ will bring together around 12,000 men and women from NATO Allies and 14 partner nations. The mission is based on a request from the Afghan government and the Status of Forces Agreement between NATO and Afghanistan,” NATO said in a statement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>About the issue, the Taliban said at the statement that they will keep fighting “for the establishment of a pure Islamic system by expelling the remaining invading forces unconditionally.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>The statement adds, “America, its invading allies… along with all international arrogant organizations have been handed a clear-cut defeat in this lopsided war."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>Afghan President Ashraf Ghani thinks that preventing security from further deteriorating and negotiating with the Taliban to stop violence are top priority, therefore he has said he is open to peace talks.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'>But the Taliban said they will “continue its Jihad and struggle so long as a single foreigner remains in Afghanistan in a military uniform."<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>