Ahead of 9/11, Taliban Vow to Keep Fighting
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Smoke rises from an insurgent fighting position after being hit with a 120mm high explosive mortar round fired by soldiers with the U.S. Army's Bravo Company of the 25th Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Battalion 27th Infantry Regiment based in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 at Combat Outpost Monti in Kunar province, Afghanistan.
KABUL, Afghanistan-- The Taliban say the will keep fighting against U.S. forces in Afghanistan until all American troops leave the country.
In a statement sent to media on Saturday, the Taliban say they had no role in the Sept. 11 attacks and that the U.S. and its allies were responsible for killing thousands of Afghans during the invasion and ensuing occupation.
The United States and its allies invaded Afghanistan on Oct. 7, 2001, after the Taliban, who then ruled the country, refused to hand over Osama bin Laden.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
At the time, the late al-Qaida leader was living in Afghanistan, where the terror network had training camps from which it planned attacks against the U.S. and other countries.