The leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Mohammed Omar, has backed peace talks with the Afghan government, in a statement released to the media.

 

A message, marking the festival of Eid al-Fitr, made no direct reference to the talks but said Islam did not bar "peaceful interaction" with enemies.

 

Afghan government officials last week met Taliban representatives in negotiations brokered by Pakistan.

 

The Taliban have stepped up attacks on Afghan security forces.

 

Nato concluded its combat mission in Afghanistan last December, replacing it with a smaller deployment intended to train Afghan security forces until 2016.

 

Pakistan last week hosted the first formal face-to-face negotiations between Taliban representatives and the Afghan government.

 

The statement by Mullah Omar ends speculation that the reclusive Taliban leader had not authorised the latest talks.

 

The text, published on a Taliban website, suggested that negotiations were a "legitimate" way of achieving the objective of ending occupation by foreign forces.

 

The statement said political means to achieve "sacred goals" could be pursued "concurrently with armed jihad", under Islamic principles.

 

The statement also made an apparent reference to the Islamic State militant group, whose Afghan affiliate has gained ground in Afghanistan, clashing with the Taliban and drawing away some of its supporters.

 

"We have...directed all our mujahideen to preserve their unity and forcefully prevent all those elements who attempt to create differences," the statement said.

(BBC)