KABUL, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has recorded nine percent decrease in Taliban-linked attacks in August this year in Afghanistan, a claim rebuffed by the insurgent group.
"There has been 9 percent reduction in militants attacks in August this year compared with August 2011 and 30 percent reduction compared with August 2010," ISAF spokesman Brigadier General Gunter Katz was quoted as saying by a local newspaper the Daily Outlook on Tuesday.
However, the official asserted that the Taliban militants continued to use the roadside bomb or Improvised Explosive Device (IED) to target Afghan and the NATO-led coalition forces, a tactics which often caused civilian casualties.
Taliban militants have rejected the claim as mere propaganda, saying the outfit would continue to fight.
Zabihullah Mujahid, a purported spokesman for the Taliban, told local media by telephone from unknown location that the attacks by Mujahideen (holy warriors) against the invaders, a reference to NATO-led troops, would go ahead, adding that is why "the enemy has chosen to withdraw from large parts of the country and abandoned major bases which naturally amount to a decrease in attacks".
"Another reason for the decline is that the enemy has chosen to limit movement outside its bases. No matter what tools Mujahideen use to tempt them out, attack them from close range, still the cowardly enemy does not come out of its hole," Mujahid said, adding that the Mujahideen will target the enemy with large scale attacks inside their own bases and will force them to flee the country.
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