Taliban rule out talks with Nato: 'Why should we when we're winning and foreign troops are withdrawing?'



The Taliban in Afghanistan have declared there is no question of them entering into negotiations with Nato forces.



The news came in a defiant statement, which added that they believe they are winning the war.



The statement, released to the BBC’s John Simpson, said: ‘We do not want to talk to anyone - not to [President Hamid] Karzai, nor to any foreigners - till the foreign forces withdraw from Afghanistan.



The defiant message from the Taliban comes as Nato forces suffered their deadliest month yet in Afghanistan, with 102 deaths. Pictured are soldiers from 1st Battalion the Royal Gurkha Rifles during a patrol in Nahr e Saraj, Helmand



‘We are certain that we are winning. Why should we talk if we have the upper hand, and the foreign troops are considering withdrawal, and there are differences in the ranks of our enemies?’



It comes as Nato forces suffered their biggest loss in the country so far, with 102 deaths in the month of June.



Withdrawal strategies have been announced with British troops to be among the last to leave Afghanistan, Defence Secretary Liam Fox announced this week.

In a major speech in Washington, Dr Fox said Prime Minister David Cameron and U.S. President Barack Obama must 'see the job through' and resist succumbing to a 'natural impatience' to get the troops home.



In an interview he then conceded that the British armed forces would be among the last home, because they are stationed in a 'difficult' area that is likely to be 'one of the last parts to transition to Afghan security'.



Defence Secretary Liam Fox (left) has announced that British troops will be among the last to leave Afghanistan, while General David Petraeus (right) has warned that the fighting is likely to escalate



American’s new commander for Afghanistan has warned that the fighting will continue and even escalate as it prepares its own withdrawal plans.



General David Petraeus said the 'industrial strength insurgency' would intensify in the coming months and admitted a previously agreed date to get out by July 2011 represented only the 'beginning of the process'.



His comments to a Senate committee in Washington came days after he replaced General Stanley McChrystal, who was fired last week over disparaging remarks he made about President Barack Obama and his advisers in the magazine Rolling Stone.



Gen Petraeus said he backed Mr Obama's policy to put 30,000 more US troops into Afghanistan and begin a withdrawal next summer, but any pull-outs would be based on how the war was going.



General Sir David Richards had hoped to negotiate with the Taliban



'It's not a date when the U.S. heads to the exits,' he told the Senate Armed Services Committee, which must confirm his appointment.



'We'll need to provide assistance to Afghanistan for a long time to come,' he said.



The President expressed frustration recently with the ‘obsession’ with the withdrawal date for US troops.



He said: ‘I don’t have a crystal ball.



'I think that right now the debate surrounding Afghanistan is presented as either we get up and leave immediately because there's no chance at a positive outcome, or we stay basically indefinitely and do quote unquote whatever it takes for as long as it takes.'



He reiterated that a July 2011 date to begin withdrawing troops does not mean the U.S. will 'suddenly turn off the lights and let the door close behind us.'

The Taliban’s refusal to entertain any dialogue with Nato will come as a blow to Britain after the head of the Army expressed hopes of negotiating with them just days ago.



General Sir David Richards said that despite the enemy's deadly attacks on his own troops he could see 'no reason' why negotiations should not be opened.



And he suggested that talks with Taliban leaders could begin 'pretty soon'.



His comments put him at odds with the Defence Secretary, who has previously ruled out negotiations until Taliban fighters lay down their weapons.



U.S. General McChrystal had called for negotiations with elements of the Taliban who are fighting for money rather than ideology.







