Karzai urges Taliban to join peace talks

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday urged the Taliban to join talks to bring peace to the war-torn country, despite the insurgents' leadership ruling out negotiations.

"On the day of Eid-ul-Azha I once again call on those compatriots who are unhappy, I request them to join the peace efforts," Karzai said in a statement to mark the Eid festival.

Karzai has previously appealed to the Taliban to come to the negotiating table and low-level commanders are said to have already spoken to the government in Kabul.

But leader Mullah Omar said on Monday that reports of their involvement in peace talks to bring an end to the bitter, nine-year conflict were "misleading rumours".

In his statement, Omar also dismissed the surge of tens of thousands of coalition troops as ineffective and again predicted defeat for foreign forces.