Taliban leader: Afghan insurgents are winning the war

In an end-of-Ramadan message posted on jihadist websites and relayed by the Site Intelligence Group, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar said insurgents are winning the war in Afghanistan and warned Americans that they are wasting lives and billions in tax dollars on the conflict. Mullah Omar, who has not been seen in public since the Taliban were driven from power following the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, urged his fighters to adhere to his code of conduct and avoid harming civilians—instructions U.S. commanders say Taliban fighters frequently ignore. In remarks directed to the American people, Mullah Omar said the U.S. military had failed to achieve its objectives after nearly nine years. The Taliban have also threatened to attack polling stations during the Sept. 18 parliament elections, which they have condemned as serving only Western interests.

Toronto Star