The Taliban has called on Afghans to expel the United States from Afghanistan just as they said mujahedin fighters had done to Soviet forces 25 years ago to the day.



In a statement issued on the 25th anniversary of the final Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan and published by Reuters, the Taliban said, "Today America is facing the same fate as the former Soviets and trying to escape from our country."



The last convoy of Soviet troops left Afghanistan on February 15, 1989.



U.S. and other international forces are due to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of the year.



Uncertainty about whether a smal force of foreign troops will stay beyond that date continues as Afghan President Hamid Karzai has so far declined to sign a security deal with the United States.



Based on reporting by Reuters