KABUL: The Taliban marked the anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the US yesterday by calling on US forces to withdraw unconditionally and end the ''illegal occupation'' of Afghanistan.

The Taliban said in an emailed statement that the US had no chance of bringing peace to Afghanistan after nearly nine years of war.

As NATO allies pulled out their troops, Americans had become targets both at home and abroad, it said.

''Nine years after September 11, despite using all possible military solutions in Afghanistan, now they have lost any possible chance for peace,'' the statement said.

''They are left with only one option and that is to withdraw their forces from Afghanistan without any preconditions.

''They do not have the right to impose conditions and preconditions for leaving Afghanistan because, first, their occupation of Afghanistan was illegal and also, second, they have been defeated in this illegal invasion.''

The US and NATO have about 150,000 troops in Afghanistan fighting to quell the Taliban insurgency, which began soon after the Islamists' brutal five-year rule was toppled in an American-led invasion.

Military leaders agree that the Taliban's footprint has spread, especially to the once peaceful north.