In an odd flipping of the political script, the Taliban has called on the U.S. Congress to dispatch a “fact-finding mission” to Afghanistan to probe what it calls the lies and propaganda used by the Pentagon and U.S. generals to extend and justify the war. –JCL

Agence France-Presse:

The Islamist militant group has been fighting for more than nine years to topple the Kabul government, which is backed by 150,000 US and NATO troops.

In the past year, Taliban influence has spread across the country from their bastion in the south where the war is concentrated, and momentum has been widely seen to have turned in their favour.

The statement, addressed to “Messers American Congressmen,” was emailed to AFP and signed by Qari Mohammad Yousuf Ahmadi, “spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan”.

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